Keratinocytes Present Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxins and Promote Malignant and Nonmalignant T Cell Proliferation in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is characterized by malignant T cells proliferating in a unique tumor microenvironment dominated by keratinocytes (KCs). Skin colonization and infection by Staphylococcus aureus are a common cause of morbidity and are suspected of fueling disease activity. In this study, we show that expression of HLA-DRs, high-affinity receptors for staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), by KCs correlates with IFN-γ expression in the tumor microenvironment.

Identification of an erythrocyte binding peptide from the erythrocyte binding antigen, EBA-175, which blocks parasite multiplication and induces peptide-blocking antibodies.

A biotinylated peptide covering a sequence of 21 amino acids (aa) from the erythrocyte binding antigen (EBA-175) of Plasmodium falciparum bound to human glycophorin A, an erythrocyte receptor for merozoites, as demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and to erythrocytes as demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis. The peptide, EBA(aa1076-96), also bound to desialylated glycophorin A and glycophorin B when tested by ELISA. The peptide blocked parasite multiplication in vitro.

Immunoglobulin G reactivities to rhoptry-associated protein-1 associated with decreased levels of Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia in Tanzanian children.

In the Muheza region of Tanzania, an area with holoendemic malaria, the proportion of responders with IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reactivities to recombinant rhoptry-associated protein-1 (rRAP-1) as well as IgG reactivities to a repeat region of the acidic-basic repeat antigen (ABRA) increased with age. The proportion of responders with IgM reactivities to rRAP-1 increased with age in the first three decades. However, levels of IgG reactivities to rRAP-1 did not increase with age, indicating high levels of reactivities among young children.

Glucose homeostasis during exercise in humans with a liver or kidney transplant.

To investigate the role of liver nerve activity on hepatic glucose production during exercise, liver-transplant subjects (LTX, n = 7, 25-62 yr, 4-18 mo postoperative) cycled for 40 min, 20 min at 52 +/- 3% (SE) maximal O2 consumption (VO2max) and 20 min at 83 +/- 1% VO2max, respectively. Kidney-transplant (KTX) and healthy control subjects (C) matched for sex and age exercised at the same %VO2max as LTX. VO2max was lower in both LTX (1.

Successful construction of a mediastinal stoma after total removal of larynx and trachea.

In a 54-year-old woman the entire trachea and larynx were removed because of malignant tumor. The first attempt to construct a mediastinal tracheostoma with 1.5 cm left of the distal trachea failed due to stomal infection with aortic wall necrosis and bleeding.

Assessment of coronary artery stenosis pressure gradient by quantitative coronary arteriography in patients with coronary artery disease.

The aim of the study described here was to correlate coronary artery (CA) stenosis pressure gradients calculated by quantitative coronary arteriography (QCA) to invasively measured transstenotic pressure drops in patients with anginal symptoms and with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Furthermore, the known mathematical models are improved by introducing (1) pressure catheter-corrected minimal stenosis area, (2) modification of flow assumptions, and (3) stenosis exit angle. Included in the study were 45 patients with 61 stenoses.

MHC class II molecules regulate growth in human T cells.

MHC-class-II-positive T cells are found in tissues involved in autoimmune disorders. Stimulation of class II molecules by monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or bacterial superantigens induces protein tyrosine phosphorylation through activation of protein tyrosine kinases in T cells, and class II signals modulate several T cell responses. Here, we studied further the role of class II molecules in the regulation of T cell growth.

MHC class II molecules deliver costimulatory signals in human T cells through a functional linkage with IL-2-receptors.

MHC class II-positive T cells are found in tissues involved in autoimmune and infectious disorders. Because stimulation of class II molecules by mAb or bacterial superantigens induces protein tyrosine phosphorylation through activation of PTK3 in T cells, we hypothesized that class II signals play a regulatory function in T cell activation. Here, we show that cross-linking HLA-DR and -DP but not -DQ molecules by immobilized mAb enhanced proliferative T cell responses to IL-2.

Electrical kindling of rats treated discontinuously or continuously with haloperidol.

Intermittent as opposed to continuous treatment of rats with haloperidol resulted in a long-lasting potentiation of oral activity. To examine if this behavioural sensitization to discontinuous neuroleptic treatment facilitates seizure development in electrical kindling, rats treated either intermittently or continuously with haloperidol for 15 weeks were kindled in the nucleus amygdala. Development of kindled seizures was significantly faster in the intermittently treated group (P < 0.

Estimation of cerebral venous saturation in newborn infants by near infrared spectroscopy.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the near infrared spectroscopy technique for determination of the cerebral venous oxygen saturation. By tilting the patient's head down 15 degrees, changes in OD may be caused by changes in cerebral blood volume. On the assumption that increases in cerebral blood volume consist of venous blood only, cerebral venous oxygen saturation can be calculated as the measured change in oxygenated Hb divided by the change in total Hb.

Modulation of cholecystokinin (CCK) gene-expression in a human neuroblastoma cell line: effects of serum on enhanced CCK and c-fos mRNA expression.

The effect of fetal-calf serum (FCS) and Forskolin (FKN) on cholecystokinin (CCK) and proto-oncogene c-fos mRNA expression in the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-MC, cultured in serum free medium was studied by Northern blot analysis and nuclear run-off transcription analysis. Addition of FCS or FKN gradually increased the basal CCK mRNA level approximately four to six-fold after 2-4 h. In contrast, a strong and transient increase of the c-fos mRNA-level was observed, approximately forty to fifty-fold after 50-60 min over unstimulated cells.

Fructose metabolism in the human erythrocyte. Phosphorylation to fructose 3-phosphate.

In human erythrocytes, the first step in the metabolism of fructose is generally thought to be phosphorylation to fructose 6-phosphate catalysed by hexokinase. In variance with this assumption, we show here that fructose in these cells is metabolized primarily to fructose 3-phosphate by a specific 3-phosphokinase. This process has an overall estimated Km of 30 mM with respect to extracellular fructose and an apparent Vmax.

DNA polymorphism of HLA class II genes in primary biliary cirrhosis.

We investigated the DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism of the major histocompatibility complex class II genes: HLA-DRB, -DQA, -DQB, DPA, -DPB, the serologically defined HLA-A, B, C, DR antigens, and the primed lymphocyte typing defined HLA-DP antigens in 23 Danish patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and in healthy Danes. The following genetic markers were found with increased frequencies in PBC: HLA-B8 (relative risk, RR = 2.4, P less than 0.

Essential fructosuria: increased levels of fructose 3-phosphate in erythrocytes.

Erythrocytes of 3 adult siblings with essential fructosuria contained 45-200 mumol/l fructose 3-phosphate (Fru-3-P), i.e. 3-15 times the concentration in normal controls.

Phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) stimulates a differential expression of cholecystokinin (CCK) and c-fos mRNA in a human neuroblastoma cell line.

Regulation of cholecystokinin (CCK) and the proto-oncogene c-fos mRNA expression was studied in the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-MC. Cells were treated either with the tumor promoting phorbol-ester phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutyl-methylxanthine (IBMX), which results in an elevated intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) level, or with a combination of PMA and IBMX. The level of CCK and c-fos mRNA was determined by Northern-blot analysis with CCK and c-fos specific antisense RNA probes after 4-24 h of drug treatment.

A computer program for randomizing patients with near-even distribution of important parameters.

In clinical trials, the methods for achieving an event or near-even distribution of important patient parameters have been tedious and often disappointing. In this paper, a computer program for minimizing differences between experimental groups with respect to such important parameters, based on a method described by Traves (Clin. Pharmacol.

Epidemiology of myasthenia gravis in Denmark. A longitudinal and comprehensive population survey.

The incidence of myasthenia gravis (MG) was found to be constant in calendar time. The mean annual incidence rate was 4.4 per million population.

DNA polymorphism of HLA class II genes in alopecia areata.

We investigated the DNA restriction polymorphism (RFLP) of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II genes: HLA-DQA, -DQB, -DPA, and -DPB in 20 Danish patients with alopecia areata (AA) and in healthy Danes. The frequency in AA of the DQB1*0301 and DQw7 associated DQB Bgl/II 4.2 kb fragment was increased to 65.

Expression of the cholecystokinin gene in a human (small-cell) lung carcinoma cell-line.

Expression of the cholecystokinin (CCK), gastrin and enkephalin A genes were studied by Northern blot analysis and a library of sequence-specific radioimmunoassays in human cell lines. The human small-cell lung carcinoma line (SCLC) U-1690 expressed moderate levels of CCK mRNA as compared to the human neuroepithelioma cell line SK-N-MC. Neither gastrin nor (pro)enkephalin A mRNAs were detectable in the U-1690 cell line.

Visual evoked potentials in term light-for-gestational-age infants and infants of diabetic mothers.

The latency and amplitude of the first negative peak of visual evoked potentials (VEP) were evaluated in 52 term infants, investigated within 48 h after birth. Sixteen were light-for-gestational-age (LGA), 16 were appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) and 20 were infants of diabetic mothers (IDM). The VEP latency was shorter in LGA infants compared to AGA infants, and it was closely related to the birth weight deviation.

Posttranslational attenuation of peptide gene expression.

Studies of the cell-specific processing of neuroendocrine peptides have shown that neuroendocrine cells occasionally fail to mature the biosynthetic precursors to bioactive peptides, or that they do so to a negligible extent only. Instead, inactive precursors and processing intermediates accumulate in the cells. Thus, the expression of genes encoding hormonal peptides is in certain cells and under certain conditions attenuated at the postranslational level.

Discrepancy between transcriptional products and cell surface expression of MHC class I antigens in metastatic and non-metastatic Lewis lung tumor cells.

Major histocompatibility complex class I transcriptional products and cell surface expression of their corresponding proteins were measured in tumorigenic Lewis lung carcinoma cells with either high metastatic activity (G4 cells) or with no metastatic activity (G2 cells). The transcriptional products were measured by hybridization to gene-specific oligonucleotide probes for H-2Kb and H-2Db respectively. The cell surface density of the corresponding H-2 glycoproteins was determined by FACS cell sorter analysis and by radioimmunoassay using anti-H-2Kb and anti-H-2Db specific monoclonal antibodies.