Healing potential of the anulus fibrosus.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the healing of surgically created defects in the anulus fibrosus in an effort to determine the healing potential of this structure. Four identical lesions were made in the anulus fibrosus of ten dogs at levels L2-L5. Two dogs were killed at 3, 6, and 9 weeks.

Percutaneous dorsal column stimulator for chronic pain control.

This is a retrospective review of 26 patients with chronic intractable pain in which dorsal column stimulation was used as a salvage procedure. On follow-up of 12 to 42.7 months, 21 of the patients had diminished narcotic usage.

Adoptively transferred experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in SJL/J, PL/J, and (SJL/J x PL/J)F1 mice. Influence of I-A haplotype on encephalitogenic epitope of myelin basic protein.

Guinea pig basic protein (GPBP)-immune lymph node cells (LNC) from SJL, PL, and SJL x PL (F1) mice proliferated to whole GPBP and GPBP fragments 1-37, 43-88, and 89-169. All three strains of mice developed experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) by active immunization with whole GPBP or by passive transfer of LNC cultured with whole GPBP. SJL (H-2s) and PL (H-2u) mice developed EAE by active immunization with fragments 89-169 or 1-37, respectively, or by passive transfer of LNC cultured with the same Ag.

Identification of IgG in the canine intervertebral disc.

Nucleus pulposus was taken at necropsy from five mongrel dogs and tested in an enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) system designed to indicate the presence of IgG and IgM. This assay positively identified IgG. Agarose-bound Protein A was used to treat the nucleus pulposus material to extract the IgG.

Pseudomonas osteomyelitis of the metatarsal sesamoid. A case report.

Osteomyelitis of the metatarsal sesamoid is rare. Few cases of Pseudomonas osteomyelitis have been reported. This report includes a current review of the literature and case report.

Brooks fusion for atlantoaxial instability in rheumatoid arthritis.

Atlantoaxial instability in rheumatoid arthritis has been recognized in the natural history of rheumatoid arthritis, but successful surgical stabilization has proven to be elusive. We review our experience using the Brooks technique of wedge compression arthrodesis combined with halo immobilization in five women with rheumatoid arthritis with symptomatic C1-2 subluxation. Halo-vest immobilization was continued for six weeks postoperatively, and then exchanged for a rigid cervical orthosis for an additional six weeks.

Adoptively transferred acute and chronic relapsing autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the PL/J mouse and observations on altered pathology by intercurrent virus infection.

PL/J mice developed chronic relapsing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) after receiving syngeneic guinea pig basic protein (GPBP)-immune lymph node cells or spleen cells which were cultured in the presence of GPBP or the encephalitogenic N-terminal peptide of GPBP. The presence of L3T4+ cells and in vitro proliferation in response to GPBP are required for the successful transfer. Pathologically, passively transferred EAE in the virus-free PL/J strain was characterized by an infiltration in the central nervous system by small lymphocytes, followed by the appearance of macrophages, and subsequently by primary demyelination.

The inflammatory effect of nucleus pulposus. A possible element in the pathogenesis of low-back pain.

Homogenized autogenous nucleus pulposus was injected into the lumbar epidural space of four dogs through an indwelling catheter. After daily injections of the material over 5 to 7 days, the dogs were killed at 5, 7, 14, or 21 days after the first injection. In four dogs that served as controls, normal saline was injected on an identical schedule and the dogs were killed at times identical to the experimental group.

Chronic relapsing necrotizing encephalomyelitis produced by myelin basic protein in mice.

Chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis is commonly seen in a number of species after a single injection of whole white matter in adjuvant but not after inoculation with myelin basic protein, the major encephalitogen of central myelin. In the present report on large groups of SJL mice, we describe a form of chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis with destructive lesions after a single inoculation of myelin basic protein in complete Freund's adjuvant. This condition was studied for up to 19 months postinoculation and was characterized by a relapsing-remitting or a chronic progressive course, usually with a prolonged latent period.

Estimation of VO2max from a one-mile track walk, gender, age, and body weight.

The purpose of this investigation was to explore an alternative field test to estimate maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) using a one-mile walk test. VO2max was determined in 343 healthy adult (males = 165, females = 178) subjects 30 to 69 yr using a treadmill protocol (mean +/- SD: VO2max = 37.0 +/- 10.

A case of mistaken identity, limbus annulare mimics fracture.

The limbus annulare is of practical importance as a radiographic finding. Its proper identification will lead to an accurate diagnosis and eliminate the need for hospitalization and unnecessary diagnostic studies. This is a report of a patient with a limbus annulare misdiagnosed as a fracture of L-4.

Is Fast Walking an Adequate Aerobic Training Stimulus for 30- to 69-Year-Old Men and Women?

In brief: Two related studies were conducted to determine whether fast walking is intense enough to elicit a training heart rate (THR), which is defined as ≥ 70% of maximal heart rate. In one study, 343 subjects (165 men, 178 women) walked a mile as fast as possible. Ninety-one percent of all the women and 83% of men aged 50 and older reached a THR.

Critical threshold for dose of myelin basic protein in murine autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

The clinical and pathologic features of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the SJL mouse are described after inoculation with different amounts of myelin basic protein (MBP) in adjuvant. A dose threshold was apparent in that 400 micrograms produced the most severe central nervous system (CNS) changes. These comprised an extensive multifocal destructive myelitis with minimal demyelination.

Interaction between myelin basic protein-sensitized T lymphocytes and murine cerebral vascular endothelial cells.

Lymph node cells from SJL mice immunized with guinea pig myelin basic protein proliferate in vitro to the same antigen. This proliferative response is abolished by depletion of macrophages-monocytes, but can be reconstituted by the addition of cerebral vascular endothelial cells (EC) freshly isolated from syngeneic mice with adoptively transferred acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Reconstitution by EC from mice with EAE can be blocked by pretreatment of EC with syngeneic anti-I-A antisera.

Comparison of membrane-associated proteins of murine cytolytic and helper cloned T-cell lines: identification of a protein, p24, prominent in membrane fractions from cytolytic but not helper T-cells.

It has recently been reported that liposomes containing membrane components from cytolytic T-cell (TC) clones could transfer lytic activity to noncytolytic T- and B-cell lines, strongly suggesting that TC possess membrane-associated molecules which noncytolytic lymphocytes lack and which play a critical role in the lytic mechanism. It was thus of interest to compare the membrane-associated proteins from TC-lines to those of noncytolytic helper T-cell (TH) lines to determine whether any membrane-associated proteins unique to TC could be identified. Cells from three TC-lines and four TH-lines were internally labelled with [35S]methionine and then disrupted by hypotonic lysis.

Presentation of myelin basic protein by murine cerebral vascular endothelial cells.

Guinea pig basic protein (GPBP)-sensitized murine lymph node cell cultures depleted of macrophages-monocytes (MO) are no longer able to proliferate in response to specific antigen in vitro. The addition of MO reconstitutes the response that can be blocked by the addition of syngeneic anti-I-A antisera. Freshly isolated murine central nervous system endothelial cells (CNS-EC) cannot replace MO for the presentation of GPBP antigen to specifically sensitized lymph node lymphocytes.

p215 and p24: two membrane-associated proteins expressed on cloned cytolytic T-cells but not on cloned helper T-cells.

Cloned lines of murine alloreactive cytolytic and helper T cells were derived from secondary mixed leukocyte cultures. Cells from three TC lines and four TH lines were internally labeled with 35S-methionine and then disrupted by hypotonic lysis. Low density (plasma membrane-enriched) and high density (endoplasmic reticulum-enriched) membrane fractions were isolated from each cloned cell line and analyzed by SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions.

Accessory cell function of human alveolar macrophages in B-cell activation induced by pokeweed mitogen.

The effect of alveolar macrophages (AM) on pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-stimulated immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion by unfractionated and monocyte-depleted human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was studied. Responsiveness in monocyte-depleted peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations could be partially restored by addition of autologous monocytes and to a lesser extent with AM. Addition of AM to unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells resulted in significant inhibition of Ig secretion, especially at high (5-10 micrograms/ml) doses of PWM.

A pedicle bone grafting procedure for failed lumbosacral spinal fusion.

An iliac crest bone graft with an intact quadratus lumborum muscle pedicle was devised for the surgical repair of symptomatic pseudarthroses in failed lumbosacral spinal fusions. The graft and pedicle are rotated into a paraspinous bed and internally fixed to the spine. The preliminary results are presented in 12 patients in whom operations were performed under the direction of a single surgeon.

Role of macrophages in the lymphocyte response to Actinomyces viscosus.

Macrophage cooperation has been considered necessary for lymphocytes to express a variety of their differentiated functions. We attempted to characterize macrophage-lymphocyte cooperation in response to a known periodontal pathogen. Actinomyces viscosus T14V.

Mechanisms by which human gliomas may escape cellular immune attack.

Whereas substantial evidence indicates that the majority of glioma patients make humoral immune responses to their own tumours, the evidence that glioma patients make significant cellular immune responses is more tenuous and controversial. In order to study those properties of human gliomas that might contribute to their ability to escape cell-mediated immune attack, we have examined the ability of cultured human glioma cells to elicit allogeneic cytolytic lymphocyte responses in vitro. Five of ten glioma lines were unable to elicit allogeneic cytolytic lymphocyte responses in mixed lymphocyte-tumour cultures, despite the presence of serologically detectable alloantigens on the surface of the glioma cells.