Differentiation of B cells in the nonlymphoid tissue of the synovial membrane of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis the synovial membrane of the affected joint is infiltrated with lymphoid cells which may be arranged in structures resembling germinal centers. We have directly isolated such infiltrates to determine whether B-cell clones within them are selected and expanded in a process analogous to that which normally takes place in the germinal centers in secondary lymphoid organs. The data suggest that an antigen-driven process leads to the accumulation of B cells in the synovial membrane.

[Anticoagulation after vascular surgery interventions].

Questionnaires regarding postoperative antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy were answered by personal interviews with 35 German vascular surgeons. A 3/4 majority follow the recommendations of literature by anticoagulation after embolectomy in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Antiplatelet therapy is common in patients after thrombendarteriectomy and justified by improving the natural history of atherosclerotic disease.

[Popliteal aneurysms--surgical management versus conservative procedure].

217 patients with 349 popliteal aneurysms (PA) were studied. 45% presented with symptomatic complications, mainly thrombosis (21% acute, 15% chronic) and embolisation (7%). The mean diameter was significantly larger in acutely thrombosed (2.

Hamster polyomavirus-encoded proteins: gene cloning, heterologous expression and immunoreactivity.

The hamster polyomavirus (HaPV) is associated with spontaneously appearing skin epithelioma of the Syrian hamster Z3 strain. Virus particles prepared from the skin epithelioma cause lymphoma and leukemia when injected into newborn hamsters from a distinct Syrian hamster colony (HaP); in contrast to the skin epithelioma the hemopoietic tumors are virus free but accumulate viral DNA. To study the humoral immune response of HaPV-infected Z3 hamsters we produced recombinant HaPV proteins in Escherichia coli as beta-galactosidase-, TrpE- and dihydrofolate reductase-fusion proteins or as non-fused proteins.

[Infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm--indications for surgery and survival].

Purpose: Elective operation is an established therapy in the management of infrarenal aortic aneurysms. Surgery has an acceptable low risk in the presence of experienced surgeons and anaesthetists. Indication for surgery nevertheless remains a difficult problem, because diagnostic procedures and evaluation of different criteria do not exactly predict the likelihood of rupture.

Electrode ranking of "place pitch" and speech recognition in electrical hearing.

The ability to distinguish electrical stimulation of different electrodes on the basis of "pitch or sharpness" was evaluated with an electrode ranking procedure in 14 individual users of the Nucleus cochlear implant. Prior to the electrode ranking test, absolute thresholds and maximum comfortable loudness levels were measured, and loudness balancing was accomplished across all usable electrodes. Performance on the electrode ranking task was defined in terms of d' per mm of distance between comparison electrodes.

Critical bandwidth for phase discrimination in hearing-impaired listeners.

Monaural phase discrimination was evaluated in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners as a function of the frequency separation among components in three-tone complexes. The phases of the center components of 100% sinusoidal amplitude-modulated (SAM) waveforms were shifted by 90 degrees to yield quasi-frequency-modulated (QFM) waveforms that had identical long-term spectra but different envelopes and temporal fine structure. Normal-hearing listeners can distinguish QFM waveforms from SAM waveforms as long as the modulation frequency (frequency separation between components) is less than about 40% of the carrier frequency (center component).

Effects of proinflammatory cytokines on cultivated primary human hepatocytes. Fluorometric measurement of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and human leukocyte antigen-A, -B, -C, and -DR expression.

Expression of adhesion molecules and human leukocyte antigens on the surface of hepatocytes (HC) may play an important role in the immune reaction in different types of infectious and noninfectious hepatitis, liver graft rejection, and autoimmune liver diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-1 alpha on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DR on highly purified primary human HC in cell culture. Expression was assessed by semiquantitative measurement of HC in cell culture by means of computer-aided fluorometry after immunofluorescent labeling.

No association of antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase and diabetic complications in patients with IDDM.

Objective: To evaluate the association of antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-ab) and diabetic complications (neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy) in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

Research Design And Methods: We examined the prevalence of GAD-ab (immunoprecipitation assay) and islet cell antibodies (ICAs) (indirect immunofluorescence) in a representative sample of IDDM patients (n = 146) with different disease duration (2-52 years, median 13.2 years).

[Subjective well-being in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome before and after nCPAP therapy].

18 obstructive sleep apnea patients (mean time of nCPAP-treatment: 412 nights) were asked about their subjective well-being before therapy and under treatment with nCPAP. Also their wifes were asked to give an outer appraisal. Both groups reported a clear reduction of general well-being before therapy and significant improvements in excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, physical and psychical complaints and the rate of patients accidents under nCPAP.

Intensity discrimination in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners.

Weber fractions (delta I/I) for gated 500-ms tones at 0.3, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kHz, and at levels of the standard ranging from absolute threshold to 97 dB SPL, were measured in quiet and in high-pass noise in five listeners with cochlear hearing loss and in three normal-hearing listeners.

Inhibition of viroid infection by antisense RNA expression in transgenic plants.

Complex formation between different antisense RNAs directed against either plus-strand or minus-strand sequences of the potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) was studied using temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis and immunochemical detection with an antibody specific for double-stranded RNA. Short minus-strand sequences were directed against the upper central conserved region (UCCR) of plus-strand viroid replication intermediates, a plus-strand corresponding to the left half of the rod-like secondary structure (VL+) against minus-strand replication intermediates. It was shown that antisense RNA forms complexes with the corresponding target RNA only with low yield during incubation at low (physiological) temperatures but with high yield during in vitro transcription of the target RNA when the antisense RNA is already present in the solution.

[Isolation and separation of human adult hepatocytes from resected liver: cellular yield and purity using different methods].

Cultivated human hepatocytes (HC) for in vitro cell culture models are not frequently used yet. Besides, there are still several different methods of isolation, separation and cultivation of HC in use. We compared various methods to obtain isolated HC.

Glycogenolytic and antiglycogenolytic prostaglandin E2 actions in rat hepatocytes are mediated via different signalling pathways.

Prostaglandin E2 has been reported both to stimulate glycogen-phosphorylase activity (glycogenolytic effect) and to inhibit the glucagon-stimulated glycogen-phosphorylase activity (antiglycogenolytic effect) in rat hepatocytes. It was the purpose of this study to resolve this apparent contradiction and to characterize the signalling pathways and receptor subtypes involved in the opposing prostaglandin E2 actions. Prostaglandin E2 (10 microM) increased glucose output, glycogen-phosphorylase activity and inositol trisphosphate formation in hepatocyte cell culture and/or suspension.

A functional GTP-binding motif is necessary for antiviral activity of Mx proteins.

Mx proteins are interferon-induced GTPases that inhibit the multiplication of certain negative-stranded RNA viruses. However, it has been unclear whether GTPase activity is necessary for antiviral function. Here, we have introduced mutations into the tripartite GTP-binding consensus elements of the human MxA and mouse Mx1 proteins.

[Critical ischemia of the extremities caused by ergotism. Treatment with intra-arterial prostaglandin E1 infusion].

Severe ischaemia of the left upper limb developed in a 42-year-old woman (who had suffered from migraine since the age of 6 years) after the intake of 12 mg ergotamine tartrate (six suppositories of Cafergot within 5 hours). The left hand became very painful and pale with loss of touch sensation, and she could not move her fingers. Selective catheter angiography demonstrated typical signs of vascular ergotism: arterial spasms, corkscrew-like collaterals and segmental arterial occlusions.

Mx proteins: GTPases involved in the interferon-induced antiviral state.

Mx proteins have molecular masses between 70 and 80 kDa and their synthesis is tightly regulated by interferons in mammalian and non-mammalian vertebrates. Some Mx proteins function as intracellular mediators of the interferon-induced antiviral state. When suitable cDNA constructs were constitutively expressed in mouse 3T3 cells the mouse nuclear Mx1 protein conferred selective resistance to influenza virus.