Selective activation of mast cells in rheumatoid synovial tissue results in production of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-1Ra.

Objectives And Design: To study the consequences of mast cell activation in human synovial tissue.

Methods: Synovial tissue was obtained from 18 RA patients and mast cells was selectively activated in synovial tissue explant cultures. Expression of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-1Ra were determined and tissue distribution of IL-1beta was studied.

Correlation of symptom clusters of schizophrenia with absolute powers of main frequency bands in quantitative EEG.

Background: Research of QEEG activity power spectra has shown intriguing results in patients with schizophrenia. Different symptom clusters have been correlated to QEEG frequency bands. The findings have been to some extent inconsistent.

Imatinib mesylate inhibits platelet derived growth factor stimulated proliferation of rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts.

Synovial fibroblast is the key cell type in the growth of the pathological synovial tissue in arthritis. Here, we show that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogen for synovial fibroblasts isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Inhibition of PDGF-receptor signalling by imatinib mesylate (1muM) completely abrogated the PDGF-stimulated proliferation and inhibited approximately 70% of serum-stimulated proliferation of synovial fibroblasts.

Wrist actigraphy in estimation of sleep and wake in intellectually disabled subjects with motor handicaps.

Background And Purpose: We studied the applicability of wrist actigraphy to sleep-wake estimation in patients with motor handicaps.

Patients And Methods: Concomitant polysomnographic and actigraphic recordings (16-24 h) were compared in three groups: normally moving subjects with normal sleep (n=10), sleep-disordered subjects without motor handicaps (n=13) and sleep-disordered patients with different motor disabilities (n=16). The motor abilities of the subjects were determined by clinical evaluation using a grading scale from 0 to 10.

Clozapine-induced QEEG changes correlate with clinical response in schizophrenic patients: a prospective, longitudinal study.

Background: The changes of theta activity (3.5-7 Hz) in the quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) and serum clozapine levels and their correlation with clinical response, measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Rating Scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia, were examined prospectively in 16 patients suffering from schizophrenia during 18 weeks of clozapine (CLO) treatment.

Methods: Evaluations were performed on five occasions: before the initiation of CLO treatment at baseline and after 1, 3, 10, and 18 weeks of treatment.