Not simply a foreign body.

The presence of foreign biological substances in the human body can lead to violent immune reactions. This is the report of a very rare case involving not only the presence of a biological substance, but also a symbiotic relationship between a living plant (the common wheat grain, Triticum aestivum L.) and the human body.

Endothelial cell compatibility of clindamycin, gentamicin, ceftriaxone and teicoplanin in Bier's arterial arrest.

In patients with infected diabetic foot lesions, and gangrenous, peripheral, occlusive arterial disease, it is important to achieve high concentrations of antibiotics in the tissues, as the extent of amputation is often influenced by the presence of infection. Local transvenous pressure injection of antibiotics, in Bier's arterial arrest, allows high local tissue concentrations to be attained in the extremities. Information on the endothelial compatibility of antibiotics in high concentrations combined with the effect of reperfusion injury following tissue hypoxia is lacking.

Endothelial cell compatibility of clarithromycin for intravenous use.

Objectives: Tolerance of intravenously applied clarithromycin has been tested on marginal ear veins of rabbits. Use of human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) for testing antibiotic solutions for intravenous compatibility provides a valuable alternate model.

Design And Methods: In order to evaluate the effect of clarithromycin on intracellular purines, reflecting cell viability, energy production, signal transduction and DNA/RNA synthesis, intracellular adenosine 5' triphosphate (ATP), adenosine 5' diphosphate (ADP), guanosine 5' triphosphate (GTP), and guanosine 5' diphosphate (GDP) levels were measured by means of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Increase in endogenous thrombopoietin in healthy donors after automated plateletpheresis.

Background: Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a key cytokine involved in the regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production. The aim of the present study was to test whether platelet donation is associated with changes in the serum TPO levels in healthy donors undergoing plateletpheresis.

Study Design And Methods: The study group consisted of 23 healthy donors undergoing single-donor plateletpheresis for the first time.

Influence of glycopeptide antibiotics on purine metabolism of endothelial cells.

We provide evidence that the commercially available preparations of glycopeptides for intravenous application are well tolerated by endothelial cells when applied in concentrations less than 5 mg/ml. Since the antibiotics tested are administered at maximal concentrations of 10 mg/ml, the dose range used in our in vitro experiments (5 and 10 mg/ml) mimics possible clinical concentrations at the site of infusion. Similar concentrations may be reached by retrograde intravenous pressure infusion techniques (10-12).