[Ileus caused by tuberculosis].

We report on a 30-year old patient suffering from acute abdomen. X-ray examinations (abdomen photograph, passage of contrast medium) showed an obstructive ileus of the small bowel. Exploratory laparatomy revealed an obstruction of the small bowel by means of masses of lymphatic nodes as part of a mesenteric lymphadenopathy.

[Guidelines for environmental contact tracing in tuberculosis. German Central Committee for control of tuberculosis].

These guidelines were initiated by and worked out in cooperation with physicians of the public health service. Numerous publications and relevant legal regulations, particularly the Federal Law against Epidemics were taken into consideration. The responsibilities of the public health service in the fight against tuberculosis includes case finding, detection of the routes of infection and prevention of transmission.

Combined exposures of human ciliated cells to different concentrations of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

In the present study we investigated the influence of two common air pollutants, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on ciliary beat frequency (CBF). Ciliated cells were obtained by nose brush from 12 healthy volunteers and placed on a polycarbonate membrane which was in contact with Ringer's electrolyte solution. This allowed the supply of the cells by capillarity in parallel to the reaction of the pollutants with the cell surfaces.

Modulation of TNF-alpha secretions by alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes after soot-particle or asbestos fibre exposure.

Activated monocytes secrete tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), whose inflammatory and fibroblast activating characteristics may play a role in the maintenance of pulmonary inflammatory processes and subsequent fibrosis. Human alveolar macrophages (AM) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were exposed to soot particles or asbestos fibres in concentrations ranging from 5-50 micrograms/1 x 10(6) cells for 8 hrs in RPMI medium. A culture was established with the exposed monocytes and the remaining cells were used to determine TNF-alpha.