Vacation at moderate and low altitude improves perceived health in individuals with metabolic syndrome.

Background: Recent data suggest that vacation may improve cardiovascular health, an effect possibly moderated by altitude. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of a 3-week vacation at moderate and low altitude on perceived health in individuals with increased cardiovascular risk.

Methods: Seventy-two overweight males, both occupationally active and retired (mean age=56.

Mini extracorporeal circuit for coronary artery bypass grafting: initial clinical and biochemical results: a comparison with conventional and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafts concerning global oxidative stress and alveolar function.

Background: The new concept of mini-extracorporeal circulation (MECC) for coronary artery bypass grafts (MCABG) consists of minimal priming volume, a heparin-coated closed circuit, a centrifugal pump, active drainage, blood cardioplegia and a cell-saving device. The potential organ protective effect of this technique during CABG is unknown. Initial clinical outcomes, oxidative stress, alveolar shunting and need for blood transfusion were investigated for MCABG patients.

Pharmacodynamics of L-NMMA in type 1 diabetes patients and control subjects.

Rationale: L-NMMA is widely used in venous occlusion plethysmography studies to determine baseline NO production. Studies using L-NMMA indicate that endothelial dysfunction is present early in the course of diabetic microvascular complications. However, the optimal dose to maximally inhibit NO-production is unknown.

Mammaglobin is associated with low-grade, steroid receptor-positive breast tumors from postmenopausal patients, and has independent prognostic value for relapse-free survival time.

Purpose: The tumor mRNA expression levels of mammaglobin, a novel breast-specific and breast cancer-associated marker, were correlated with disease outcome in 280 patients with primary breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Mammaglobin expression levels were assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in frozen tumor tissue from breast cancer patients with a median age of 60 years (range, 30 to 88 years) and a median follow-up of 85 months (range, 2 to 169 months).

Results: High expression levels were associated with low-grade tumors (P =.

Is extended arch replacement for acute type a aortic dissection an additional risk factor for mortality?

Background: We report our experience with surgery for acute type A aortic dissection with involvement of the aortic arch.

Methods: From January 1986 to December 2001, 277 patients underwent surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. In 70 patients (25.

First aid knowledge of alpine mountaineers.

Objective: The study evaluates the knowledge of first aid in mountaineerers who climb routes of moderate difficulty in the western Alps. Additionally the mountaineer's ability to assess their own knowledge was investigated. An analysis of the mountain accidents in the same area showed the real need for knowledge.

Operative risk factors of type A aortic dissection: analysis of 252 consecutive patients.

Objective: We examined operative risk factors for postoperative death after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection.

Methods: Between 1974 and 1999, 252 patients, 163 men and 89 women (mean+/-SD age, 58+/-12 years) underwent surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. Fifty-eight (23.

Mutation analysis of the entire keratin 5 and 14 genes in patients with epidermolysis bullosa simplex and identification of novel mutations.

Epidermolysis bullosa simplex is a group of blistering skin disorders caused by defects in one of the keratin genes, KRT5 and KRT14. Previously reported KRT5 and KRT14 mutations are clustered in several hotspots, namely the rod ends of the 1A and 2B domains and in the non-helical linker region L12. Therefore, genomic KRT5 and KRT14 mutation analysis was initially limited to these hotspots.

Sternoclavicular joint ganglion cysts in young children.

Ganglion cysts originating from the sternoclavicular joint in children have not been previously reported. In this study, 5 children who presented with a small mass over the anterior aspect of the sternoclavicular joint were evaluated and treated. Only 1 patient was symptomatic.

Multifocal osteomyelitis caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria in patients with a genetic defect of the interferon-gamma receptor.

We describe three patients with multifocal osteomyelitis caused by Mycobacterium avium and a family history of one or more first degree family members diagnosed with various clinical presentations of infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria. There was a significant delay in the diagnosis and they had a protracted course of their illness, which responded only slowly to prolonged multi-drug treatment. In one patient, additional treatment with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was necessary.

Maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in affective and schizoaffective disorder.

Twenty-one patients (13 depressives and 8 schizoaffectives) who underwent maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (M-ECT) were compared with controls who received maintenance pharmacotherapy alone. Measures of effectiveness and safety of maintenance treatment were prospectively obtained during a 1-year follow-up. Survival analysis demonstrated a significantly better outcome defined by time to rehospitalization for all patients of the M-ECT group.

Immunoblot analysis of IgE-binding antigens in paprika and tomato pollen.

Background: The high incidence of occupational allergy in horticulture has only recently been recognized. We determined IgE against pollen and fruit from paprika and tomato plants in sera from 3 greenhouse workers and in 3 sera from food-allergic patients.

Methods: Proteins in extracts of paprika and tomato pollen were incubated with patients' sera after covalent coupling of these proteins to agarose beads, or in immunoblots.

Bilateral antegrade selective cerebral perfusion during surgery on the proximal thoracic aorta.

Objective: To assess risk factors for hospital death and neurologic outcome after surgery on the proximal thoracic aorta using moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest and bilateral antegrade selective cerebral perfusion.

Methods: From October 1995 through June 1999, 163 patients with a mean age of 63+/-11 years underwent surgery using bilateral antegrade selective cerebral perfusion. Degenerative aneurysms (55%) and acute type A dissection (28%) were the predominant indications for operation.

Reduced gap strains induce changes in bone regeneration during distraction.

A bilateral New Zealand white rabbit model of distraction osteogenesis (DO) was used to investigate the relationship between strain environment and bone regeneration during limb lengthening. In seven (n = 7) rabbits, a stiffener was applied to the fixator on one side to reduce strains within the gap tissue after lengthening was completed. Animals were euthanized six days later and their distraction zones were harvested and analyzed for changes in new bone volume and architecture.

Bone regeneration and fracture healing. Experience with distraction osteogenesis model.

The relation between physical forces and the processes of bone regeneration and healing remains incompletely understood. Gaps in understanding of these processes stem in part from models that produce inadequate amounts of new bone for study. Bone created through the use of distraction osteogenesis provides an attractive substrate for the study of mechanical forces and their effects on bone formation because this technique produces large volumes of new bone in a controlled fashion.

Immunization of BALB/c mice with Helicobacter urease B induces a T helper 2 response absent in Helicobacter infection.

Background & Aims: Infection with Helicobacter induces a T helper type 1 response in mice and humans. Mice can be cured or protected from infection with Helicobacter by mucosal immunization with recombinant H. pylori urease B subunit (rUreB).

Novel methods to monitor antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses in cancer immunotherapy.

Monitoring cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses to tumor antigens that have been defined at the molecular level has become essential to assess novel approaches to the specific immunotherapy of cancer. Nevertheless, because of the low affinity of the interactions between T-cell receptors and their ligands, there are no straightforward, well-standardized methods to meet this need. In this review, we describe several novel methods to track antigen-specific CTL responses.

Evaluation of the mechanical environment during distraction osteogenesis.

Physical forces have been hypothesized to direct the process of bone regeneration during distraction osteogenesis. However, despite significant clinical experience, relatively little is known about how the mechanics of distraction influence bone formation. This study investigated net fixator forces and strains in the distraction callus during bilateral lengthening of tibiae in New Zealand White rabbits.

Melanoma-reactive human cytotoxic T lymphocytes derived from skin biopsies of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions induced by injection of an autologous melanoma cell line.

The expression by melanomas of multiple antigens that are recognized by specific MHC class I-restricted CTLs has been clearly demonstrated. The goal of many immunotherapy protocols being developed is, therefore, the induction and/or augmentation of CTLs specific for such antigens. One approach has been to immunize using irradiated autologous melanoma cells.

Analysis of MAGE-3-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes in human leukocyte antigen-A2 melanoma patients.

The MAGE-3 gene is a member of a multigene family that is selectively expressed by subsets of different human tumor types, including malignant melanoma, but not by normal tissues except for testis and placenta. A cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL)-defined MAGE-3 antigen, corresponding to the MAGE-3 peptide 271-279 associated with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 molecule, has been recently identified using T lymphocytes from a normal individual stimulated in vitro with peptide-pulsed autologous antigen-presenting cells. Because MAGE-3 is expressed in 76% of metastatic melanomas, the HLA-A2-restricted MAGE-3 antigen should be expressed by approximately 37% of Caucasians bearing a metastatic melanoma tumor, thus representing an attractive candidate for the elicitation of specific CTL immune responses in vivo.

[Hypertension caused by licorice consumption].

In a 38-year-old woman who was hospitalized because of hypertension and hypokalaemic alkalosis, the intake of liquorice (200 g per day) was proven to be the cause. A liquorice provocation test produced all the expected clinical and biochemical abnormalities. Some kinds of liquorice contain glycyrrhetic acid which inhibits the enzyme 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (e.

Expression and presentation of endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus superantigens by thymic and splenic dendritic cells and B cells.

Tolerance against superantigens (SAgs) encoded by endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus (Mtv) loci involves the intrathymic deletion of SAg-reactive T cells expressing a particular TCR V beta-chain, presumably upon presentation of the SAg by specialized APC. However, although the role of dendritic cells (DC) in the induction of tolerance against conventional Ags has been demonstrated, little is known about the role played by DC in tolerance induction against Mtv SAgs. Moreover, there is conflicting evidence concerning the capacity of DC to express and present Mtv SAgs.

Quantitation of endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus superantigen expression by lymphocyte subsets.

Superantigens (SAg) encoded by endogenous mouse mammary tumor viruses (Mtv) interact with the V beta domain of the T cell receptor (TcR-V beta). Presentation of Mtv SAg can lead to stimulation and/or deletion of the reactive T cells, but little is known about the quantitative aspects of SAg presentation. Although monoclonal antibodies have been raised against Mtv SAg, they have not been useful in quantitating SAg protein, which is present in very low amounts in normal cells.

Expansion of gamma delta+ T cells in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major is dependent upon Th2-type CD4+ T cells.

T cells belong to either the alpha beta+ or gamma delta+ lineage as defined by their antigen receptor. Although both T-cell subsets have been shown to be involved in the immune response to the parasite Leishmania major, very little is known about possible interactions between these two populations. In this study, using a mouse model of infection with L.

Mouse interleukin-2 receptor alpha gene expression. Delimitation of cis-acting regulatory elements in transgenic mice and by mapping of DNase-I hypersensitive sites.

The alpha chain of the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R alpha) is a key regulator of lymphocyte proliferation. To analyze the mechanisms controlling its expression in normal cells, we used the 5'-flanking region (base pairs -2539/+93) of the mouse gene to drive chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression in four transgenic mouse lines. Constitutive transgene activity was restricted to lymphoid organs.