Prolonged treatment with recombinant interferon gamma induces erythema nodosum leprosum in lepromatous leprosy patients.

10 patients with borderline and lepromatous leprosy were selected for a prolonged trial with recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN-gamma). Patients received 30 micrograms intradermally for six injections over a 9-d period, and then either 100 micrograms intradermally every 1 mo for 10 mo or every 2 wk for 5 mo (total, 1.2 mg).

CSA/AZA, in the absence of prednisone, improves linear growth in renal transplanted children.

We compared the results of 44 renal transplants in children, of whom 24 were treated with CSA/AZA and 20 with prednisone in combination with AZA and/or CSA. There were no differences in age distribution or mean ages at transplant between the two treatment groups. The CSA/AZA group had a longer follow-up (29 +/- 33 vs 17 +/- 18 months).

Mycobacterium leprae-induced interferon-gamma production by household contacts of leprosy patients: association with the development of active disease.

Identification of individuals at risk for developing leprosy and their early diagnosis are central to effective disease control. Lack of immunologic response to Mycobacterium leprae among persons exposed to the infectious agent may be predictive of susceptibility. M.

Sensory and motor aspects of pseudoneglect, hemifield, and hemispace in the tactile modality.

Two experiments were conducted with right-handed adult subjects to investigate motor and sensory components of a tactual line bisection task performed under three conditions: at midline, in the left, and in the right hemispaces. In the sensory experiment we found a left-hand rather than a right-hand superiority under the midline condition and, in the motor experiment, a right-hand rather than a left-hand superiority. The results were discussed with respect to hemispheric specialization and hemispace theories.

Thalidomide selectively inhibits tumor necrosis factor alpha production by stimulated human monocytes.

Thalidomide selectively inhibits the production of human monocyte tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) when these cells are triggered with lipopolysaccharide and other agonists in culture. 40% inhibition occurs at the clinically achievable dose of the drug of 1 micrograms/ml. In contrast, the amount of total protein and individual proteins labeled with [35S]methionine and expressed on SDS-PAGE are not influenced.

Effect of treatment on immune responsiveness in lepromatous leprosy patients.

This study was performed in order to analyse whether the immune unresponsiveness to Mycobacterium leprae, largely seen in lepromatous patients, persisted after discharge from treatment. Lymphoproliferation and skin tests were performed using two mycobacterial antigens (M. leprae and BCG) in three groups of lepromatous patients grouped by treatment status.

Influence of Mycobacterium leprae and its soluble products on the cutaneous responsiveness of leprosy patients to antigen and recombinant interleukin 2.

Experiments were carried out in the skin of patients with leprosy to examine whether suppressor cell populations either exist in the skin of multibacillary lepromatous leprosy patients, can be activated with antigen, or are induced to emigrate into a cutaneous site from the circulation. For this purpose, purified protein derivative of tuberculin, a delayed-type antigen that generates a cell-mediated immune response, was introduced into the skin alone or with nonviable Mycobacterium leprae bacilli. Areas of induration and the resulting numbers and phenotypes of emigratory cells were not influenced by M.

Trypanosoma cruzi: the effect of variations in experimental conditions on the levels of macrophage infection in vitro.

A comparative and systematic analysis of the different experimental conditions used in Trypanosoma cruzi-macrophage interaction assays is presented. A pH range from 6.2 to 6.

[An electronic sensory substitute for young blind children].

The auditive perception of echoes produced by ultrasound impulses may compensate for the lack of certain spatial information normally provided by sight. The use of an ultrasonic guide in conjunction with the beginning of psychological care represents an important advance in the therapy of a young blind child. This therapy also implies the understanding of the impact of sensorial deprivation on the child's development and on the dynamics of the family.

Immunological responsiveness to M. leprae and BCG antigens in 98 leprosy patients and their household contacts.

1. The cellular immune response to M. leprae and BCG antigens was evaluated in 98 leprosy patients and 143 household contacts lacking clinical manifestation of the disease.

Trypanosoma cruzi: inhibition of host cell uptake of infective bloodstream forms by alpha-2-macroglobulin.

The infection of murine macrophages and fibroblasts by recently isolated infective bloodstream trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi is inhibited by the addition of human plasma protease inhibitor alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) or of soybean trypsin inhibitor. The ingestion of the non-infective epimastigotes by macrophages is not affected by the physiological protease inhibitor. Incubation of bloodstream trypomastigotes for 20 h in a serum-free axenic medium enhances their ability to infect macrophages in a process influenced by the temperature and sensitive to alpha 2M.

[Morphological and functional characterization of adherent splenic cells of mice].

The separation, characterization and functional assay of the inflammatory infiltrate present in the site of the lesion has been useful in the study of many diseases. Histochemical techniques for esterase and acid phosphatase, as well as the Phagocytose test and the Giemsa staining were applied to the study of the spleen-cell population of ten mice. A good characterization of the components of the Phagocytic Mononuclear System and the identification and quantification of the total cell population were obtained.