Vasopressin stimulation of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) in humans. In vivo bioassay of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) which provides evidence for CRF mediation of the diurnal rhythm of ACTH.

The diurnal response of ACTH release to intravenously administered arginine vasopressin was tested in normal volunteers given consecutively moderate doses of vasopressin every 15 min (0.1, 0.3, 1.

Type II diabetic subjects lose less weight than their overweight nondiabetic spouses.

To determine whether diabetic individuals have more difficulty losing weight than nondiabetic individuals, 12 overweight diabetic subjects (6 men, 6 women) and their overweight nondiabetic spouses were treated together in a behavioral weight-control program. Diabetic and nondiabetic subjects did not differ in age, weight, or percent overweight. Weight losses of nondiabetic spouses were significantly greater than those of diabetic patients (13.

Cold water stimulation of oropharyngeal receptors in man inhibits release of vasopressin.

The act of drinking ameliorates thirst and inhibits the secretion of vasopressin before changes in extracellular fluid volume or osmolality in both animals and man. We evaluated whether this reflex inhibition of vasopressin secretion might be due to the presence of oropharyngeal receptors in humans. After dehydration, normal subjects (n = 4) were allowed to suck on ice chips for 30 min.

Effects of lithium on the endocrine system: a review.

Lithium has been established as a useful drug for the treatment of mood and behavior disorders. In addition to its therapeutic role in psychiatric disease it is important to recognize that it has diverse effects on endocrine function. These include the development of hypothyroidism and goiter in up to 10% of patients.

The role of gamma interferon in the generation of human macrophages cytotoxic for Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites.

Upon exposure to Entamoeba histolytica antigen, lymphocytes from patients treated for amebic liver abscess produce lymphokines which activate monocyte-derived macrophages to kill E. histolytica trophozoites. We now demonstrate that gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) is produced by these stimulated lymphocytes and is sufficient but not exclusively necessary to activate monocyte-derived macrophage amebicidal activity.

Oral ciprofloxacin therapy for gram-negative bacillary osteomyelitis.

Gram-negative osteomyelitis frequently responds poorly to conventional therapy. Ciprofloxacin displays excellent in vitro activity against gram-negative bacilli and offers the potential for outpatient therapy. In this ongoing study, ciprofloxacin therapy is being evaluated for the treatment of gram-negative osteomyelitis.

Entamoeba histolytica: cytopathogenicity and lectin activity of avirulent mutants.

Three clones of Entamoeba histolytica (L-6, C93, C919) were isolated by mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate from the axenic strain HM1:IMSS and were studied for adherence, cytolytic, and soluble galactose inhibitable lectin activity. Avirulent clones adhered to and killed fewer Chinese hamster ovary cells than HM1:IMSS (P less than 0.01).

The interaction of human T-lymphocytes and Entamoeba histolytica: killing of virulent amoebae by lectin-dependent lymphocytes.

Clinical and experimental studies indicate that following invasive disease due to Entamoeba histolytica, development of human cell-mediated immune mechanisms may provide protective immunity. Activated, human monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro can kill virulent axaenic amoebic trophozoites. This study describes the interaction of lectin-stimulated T-lymphocytes and E.

Diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia in intubated, intensive care unit patients.

The clinical distinction between bacterial colonization of the tracheobronchial tree and nosocomial pneumonia is difficult, especially in intubated patients. We studied 51 intubated, intensive care unit patients prospectively by serial examinations of tracheal aspirates for elastin fibers, graded Gram's stains, and quantitative bacterial cultures in conjunction with clinical and radiologic observations in an attempt to develop criteria for the early detection of pulmonary infection. Patients with infection had new or progressive pulmonary infiltrates plus 1 of the following: positive blood culture results, radiographic evidence of cavitation, or histologic evidence of pneumonia, or 2 or more of the following: new fever, new leukocytosis, or grossly purulent tracheal aspirates.

Listeria monocytogenes cerebritis, bacteremia, and cutaneous lesions complicating hairy cell leukemia.

Hairy cell leukemia is a lymphoreticular malignancy characterized by a chronic course and multiple defects in host defense mechanisms. Infections are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in this malignancy. Opportunistic infections due to pathogens normally controlled by cell-mediated immune mechanisms have been increasingly described but have not included listerial infections.

The interaction of human neutrophils and Entamoeba histolytica increases cytopathogenicity for liver cell monolayers.

The in vitro interaction of neutrophils and virulent axenic Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites on Chang liver cells was studied to determine if the presence of neutrophils enhanced destruction of liver cell monolayers. Axenic amoebae (strain HM1:IMSS) destroy liver cell monolayers in a dose-dependent manner (P less than .001).

Acute febrile cerebrovasculitis: a syndrome of unknown, perhaps rickettsial, cause.

In late 1983, five patients living near Charlottesville, Virginia, were treated for an unusual syndrome of fever, headache, altered mentation, multifocal neurologic signs, and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. Clinical signs of brainstem disease developed in four patients. All five had had recent exposure to forests or wood and contact with flea-infested dogs.

Patients treated for amebic liver abscess develop cell-mediated immune responses effective in vitro against Entamoeba histolytica.

We studied the afferent and efferent cell-mediated immune response in 15 patients treated for amebic liver abscess. Patients had a lower T4 to T8 ratio (1.25 +/- 0.

Review of the human immune mechanisms directed against Entamoeba histolytica.

The human immune mechanisms effective against the destructive parasite Entamoeba histolytica have not been established. Humoral responses develop with invasive disease but have not positively correlated with protection against recurrent invasive infection. Though complement is amebicidal, invasive strains of amebas may be resistant.

Interaction of human leukocytes and Entamoeba histolytica. Killing of virulent amebae by the activated macrophage.

Capable effector mechanisms in the human immune response against the cytolytic, protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica have not been described. To identify a competent human effector cell, we studied the in vitro interactions of normal human polymorphonuclear neutrophils, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), monocytes (MC), and MC-derived macrophages with virulent axenic amebae (strain HMI-IMSS). Amebae killed neutrophils, PBMC, MC, and MC-derived macrophages (P less than 0.

Pneumonia treated with imipenem/cilastatin.

In an open, prospective, multicenter trial the efficacy and tolerance of imipenem/cilastatin for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia was investigated. Forty-three adults were studied: 29 with nosocomial and 14 with community-acquired infections. Significant underlying disease was present in 91 percent of patients.

N-Acetyl-D-galactosamine-inhibitable adherence lectin of Entamoeba histolytica. II. Mitogenic activity for human lymphocytes.

A soluble protein preparation from virulent axenic amoebae (strain HM1-IMSS) has been demonstrated to be mitogenic for normal human lymphocytes; mitogenesis was optimal at 100 micrograms/ml when incubation was maintained for five to seven days with monocytes (P less than .001). After gel filtration chromatography mitogenic activity of fractions was associated with N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-inhibitable lectin activity (agglutination of Chinese hamster ovary cells; P less than .

N-Acetyl-D-galactosamine-inhibitable adherence lectin of Entamoeba histolytica. I. Partial purification and relation to amoebic virulence in vitro.

Adherence of axenic Entamoeba histolytica, strain HM1-IMSS, to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells is mediated by an amoebic adhesin that is inhibited by N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc). The in vitro virulence for CHO cells and human neutrophils (PMNs) of four strains of axenic amoebae was strain HM1-IMSS greater than H303-NIH = 200-NIH greater than nonvirulent Laredo (P less than .001).

Augmentation of natural killer cell activity by lipopolysaccharide through separable effects on the binding of nonadherent lymphocytes to tumor targets and tumor killing.

A single-cell assay was utilized to study the augmentation by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of the cytotoxicity of human lymphocytes for the human myeloid tumor K562. Preincubation with LPS at 20 micrograms/ml for 30 min at 37 degrees increased the binding of all nonadherent (NA) lymphocyte populations to K562 tumors [unseparated NA lymphocytes from 13.1 to 25.

Recruitment of OKM1 staining lymphocytes with selective binding to K-562 tumour targets by interferon.

Spontaneous cytotoxicity of human lymphocytes for tumours is increased by interferon (IFN) without change in the overall fraction of cells binding to targets. We developed an indirect immunofluorescent technique to stain lymphocytes conjugated to K-562 tumour cells in agarose with monoclonal antibodies. This allowed assessment of lymphocyte subpopulations binding to tumour cells without disruption of conjugates.