Fat preload delays gastric emptying: reversal by cisapride

1. Meals empty more slowly when they contain fat. 2. This study investigated whether an intragastric fat preload in comparison with a water preload affected gastric emptying of a semisolid meal and antral motor activity, and whether cisapride reversed such effects. 3. Twelve healthy subjects were studied under three conditions each: (A), preload of 50 ml water orally; (B) and (C), preload of 50 ml cream (20 g fat). After preloads, subjects reclined right sided for 20 min. Thereafter, placebo in conditions (A) and (B) and 10 mg cisapride in (C) were administered i.v. in a random double-blind fashion and subjects ingested a semisolid radiolabelled 1150 kJ meal. Gastric emptying and antral motor activity were recorded scintigraphically for 50 min using a dual-headed gamma camera. 4. Gastric emptying was significantly slower (P less than 0.005) after fat preload and placebo than after water preload and placebo. Cisapride administered after fat preload abolished the delaying effect of the fat preload (P less than 0.001). 5. Antral contraction amplitudes after fat preload and placebo were higher (P less than 0.01) than after water preload and placebo as well as fat preload and cisapride at the start of recording and decreased slightly thereafter, whereas slight increases occurred in the other conditions. Frequency and propagation velocity of contractions were not differently affected. 6 Gastric emptying is delayed after prior fat ingestion and this effect is abolished by cisapride.

T cell lines responding to Mycoplasma arthritidis and chondrocytes in the Mycoplasma arthritidis infection of rats

CD 4+ T cell lines responding specifically to Mycoplasma (M.) arthritidis were established from spleen and lymph nodes of a Lewis rat infected with M. arthritidis. The T cell response to M. arthritidis was MHC class II-restricted. M. arthritidis-reactive T cell lines also responded to syngeneic chondrocytes suggesting that M. arthritidis and chondrocytes may share a common antigenic structure. The T cell lines reacting with chondrocytes may play an important role in the chronic stage of the M. arthritidis-induced arthritis of rats by maintaining immune reactions initiated by M. arthritidis antigens and originally established to eliminate the mycoplasmas. These autoimmune reactions could perpetuate after disappearance of the mycoplasmas and possibly last for the entire lifetime.

Isolation of Mycoplasma arthritidis from the joint fluid of boars

During an outbreak of a disease in a swine insemination centre in Bavaria, Fed. Rep. of Germany, characterized by conjunctivitis, severe polyarthritis and infertility mycoplasmas have been isolated from the joint fluids of the three boars investigated. Two of the isolate could be typed as Mycoplasma (M.) arthritidis which causes arthritis in rats, mice and rabbits, the third as M. collis, a probably apathogenic rodent mycoplasma species. One of the two isolated M. arthritidis strains (strain D 263) was injected intravenously in rats and mice, which developed mild to severe polyarthritis or even died, depending on the numbers of organisms inoculated. Since the bacteriological and virological investigations of the joints of boars did not yield a causative agent, it is to suppose that M. arthritidis played the substantial role in the production of the disease of the boars. It is very likely that the boars caught the mycoplasmas from rodents infected with the isolated species.

Epitope-sharing between Mycoplasma arthritidis and chondrocytes demonstrated by monoclonal antibodies

Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against Mycoplasma (M.) arthritidis membranes were investigated in the indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for their reactivity with rat and human chondrocytes as well as with rat skin fibroblasts. The monoclonal antibody A 79 gave positive reactions with rat chondrocytes in the IIFT up to a dilution off 1: 128 and in EIA up to a dilution of 1:16. In the EIA, the monoclonal antibodies A 31, A 32 and A 58 recognized M. arthritidis as well as rat and human chondrocyte membrane antigens up to dilutions of 1:128 and 1:256 and rat skin fibroblasts up to dilutions of 1:32/64. In the IIFT, the whole surfaces of the rat and human chondrocytes were strongly fluorescing after the treatment with the polyclonal antiserum against M. arthritidis. The monoclonal antibody A 79 caused weak fluorescence (rat chondrocytes) or no fluorescence (human chondrocytes) on the surface of the chondrocytes but a stronger fluorescence on areas around and between them. From these results it can be concluded that A 79 probably reacts with antigens of the chondrocyte matrix.

[Examination of cattle with respiratory diseases for Mycoplasma and bacterial bronchopneumonia agents]

A total of 247 mycoplasma strains was isolated from 435 lungs, tracheobronchial secretions and nasal swabs originating from cattle with symptoms of bronchopneumonia. Mycoplasma (M.) bovis was found 89 times (36%) and was the most common mycoplasma species in the lungs. M. bovirhinis, M. bovigenitalium, M. spec. and Acholeplasma (A.) laidlawii were isolated 158 times (64%). Among these mycoplasmas M. bovirhinis was the most widespread species (114 isolations). In 55 cases (62%) M. bovis was associated with Pasteurella or Actinomyces (A.) pyogenes. The other mycoplasma species were found in 67 cases (42%) together with these bacteria. Without mycoplasmas Pasteurella and A. pyogenes occurred in 33 of the probes investigated (21%). Beside mycoplasmas Haemophilus (H.) somnus was isolated from 16 of 162 tracheobronchial secretions investigated. The results confirm earlier suppositions that in most of the cases bronchopneumonia of cattle is a multifactorial event, frequently associated with mycoplasmas--especially M. bovis.

Strain differences in sensitivity of rats to Mycoplasma arthritidis ISR 1 infection are under multiple gene control

At least 5 female rats from each of 24 inbred (ACI, AS, BDIX, BH, BN, BS, BUF, DA, LE, LEW, MWF, OM, SPRD-Cu3, W-Krypt, and WKY), RT1 congenic [BH.1L(LEW), LEW.1A(AVN), LEW.1C(WIST), LEW.1LV3(BH), LEW.1K(SHR), and LEW.1N(BN)], and F1 hybrid [(LEW x BN)F1, (LEW.1W x LEW.1A)F1, and (LEW x LEW.1W)F1] strains, representing eight independent major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes (a, b, c, dv1, k, l, n, and u) and five related RT1 haplotypes (av1, lv1, lv3, uv2, and uv3), were inoculated intravenously with Mycoplasma arthritidis, and the severity of the polyarthritis that developed was determined by estimating arthritis scores and weight reductions. The 24 inbred, congenic, and F1 hybrid rat strains differed considerably in their sensitivity to infection with M. arthritidis and in the severity of the polyarthritis that they developed. Statistical evaluation showed that in the acute phase (days 1 to 42 after infection) as well as in the chronic phase (days 39 to 121 after infection) of the disease, the means of the arthritis scores for the strains form a continuous variation without significant interruptions, with the very sensitive LEW rats, the RT1 congenic rats on LEW background, the F1 hybrids with LEW, and the MWF, BS, BH, and DA rats on one end and the resistant WKY, BUF, W-Krypt, LE, and OM rats on the other end. A continuous variation was also observed for the means of the growth rates. There were, however, no significant differences between the sensitive and the resistant rat strains in the antibody titers determined by complement fixation test and enzyme immunoassay. Heritabilities of arthritis scores were calculated for all strains (h2 = 0.39 to 0.62), for the RT1 congenic strains (h2 = 0.04 to 0.14), and for several strains with identical MHC genes (h2 = 0.61 to 0.93). The results show that non-MHC genes are probably responsible for the sensitivity of rats to infection with M. arthritidis.

Isolation of Mycoplasma moatsii from the intestine of wild Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)

The intestinal tracts of twenty inbred SPF rats (LEW, BN, WKY, DA) and six wild Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout 1769) were investigated for mycoplasmas. Cultivation was in three different media. Mycoplasmas were not isolated from the intestine of the inbred SPF rats but were found in the epithelia and contents of caecum, colon and jejunum as well as in fecal samples of all of the wild Norway rats investigated. The mycoplasmas isolated all belonged to the same species, and were identified as Mycoplasma moatsii, originally isolated from grivit monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) and thought to be specific for this host.

Sjögren's syndrome: association with type-1 diabetes mellitus

This study of 102 unselected type-1 diabetic patients has shown that sicca symptoms affect 55% of the patients, although sometimes only during hyperglycaemic phases. While these symptoms might be attributable to the diabetes, the frequency of antinuclear antibodies in those suspected of having Sjögren's (25% by HEp-2) and particularly anti-Ro antibodies (32% by ELISA) reinforces the suspicion that Sjögren's syndrome may underlie their presence.

Investigation of seal mycoplasmas for their cytotoxic potential on tracheal organ cultures of SPF and gnotobiotic rats

Eleven mycoplasma strains isolated from several organs of diseased seals during the seal epidemic in the Baltic and North Sea in 1988 and the seal epidemic along the New England coast in 1979-1980, were investigated for their cytotoxic potential by inoculation into tracheal organ cultures of SPF and gnotobiotic rats. The mycoplasma strains belonged to three different species. Administration of 2.0 x 10(2) to 4.5 x 10(7) colony forming units of all of the mycoplasma strains caused an inhibition of the ciliary activity and cytopathological changes within the epithelial cells appearing as bleb-like protuberances by observation with the inverted microscope. There was, however, a distinct difference in the strength of the cytopathological changes caused by the three mycoplasma species. Semi- and ultrathin sections of tracheal rings infected with the seal mycoplasma strain 852, observed by light and electron microscopy, revealed a heavy tissue injury of the tracheal epithelium and dumbbell-shaped mycoplasmas adhering to degenerated epithelial cells.

Pathogenetic mechanisms in the Mycoplasma arthritidis polyarthritis of rats

Mycoplasma arthritidis is the causative agent of severe polyarthritis in rats and mice, which resembles human rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Several mechanisms are involved in this disease. M. arthritidis releases substances acting on polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs), i.e. oxygen radical formation stimulating substances (500-3,000 daltons), a chemotactic substance (400 daltons) and an aggregating substance (500 daltons). These products were separated from the cell-free culture supernatant by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-15 and G-10 columns. Isolated membranes of M. arthritidis possesses toxic properties for rats, mice, and chicken embryos. Hemolytic activities for sheep red blood cells and toxic effects on fetal rat skin fibroblasts were detected for this 170,000 dalton substance. Cross-reactivity between M. arthritidis and rat tissues was demonstrated in several investigations with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Polyclonal antibodies against M. arthritidis showed a strong reaction in immunofluorescence tests with rat chondrocytes. In Western blot analysis six corresponding protein bands were observed in M. arthritidis membranes and rat chondrocytes, favoring the idea of several shared epitopes. Monoclonal antibodies were established reacting with M. arthritidis as well as with rat and human chondrocytes in the immunofluorescence test and in the enzyme immunoassay. Cross-reactivity could be observed also on the cellular level. T-cell lines of the OX 19 and W 3/25 type were established that could be stimulated by M. arthritidis antigens and by syngeneic chondrocytes. In the initial stage of the arthritis, toxic processes seem to be predominant that are continued by autoimmune reactions in the progressing disease.

Maturational steps of bone marrow-derived dendritic murine epidermal cells. Phenotypic and functional studies on Langerhans cells and Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal cells in the perinatal period

The adult murine epidermis harbors two separate CD45+ bone marrow (BM)-derived dendritic cell systems, i.e., Ia+, ADPase+, Thy-1-, CD3- Langerhans cells (LC) and Ia-, ADPase-, Thy-1+, CD3+ dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC). To clarify whether the maturation of these cells from their ill-defined precursors is already accomplished before their entry into the epidermis or, alternatively, whether a specific epidermal milieu is required for the expression of their antigenic determinants, we studied the ontogeny of CD45+ epidermal cells (EC). In the fetal life, there exists a considerable number of CD45+, Ia-, ADPase+ dendritic epidermal cells. When cultured, these cells become Ia+ and, in parallel, acquire the potential of stimulating allogeneic T cell proliferation. These results imply that CD45+, Ia-, ADPase+ fetal dendritic epidermal cells are immature LC precursors and suggest that the epidermis plays a decisive role in LC maturation. The day 17 fetal epidermis also contains a small population of CD45+, Thy-1+, ADPase-, CD3- round cells. Over the course of 2 to 3 wk, they are slowly replaced by an ever increasing number of round and, finally, dendritic CD45+, Thy-1+, CD3+ EC. Thus, CD45+, Thy-1+, ADPase-, CD3- fetal EC may either be DETC precursors or, alternatively, may represent a distinctive cell system of unknown maturation potential. According to this latter theory, these cells would be eventually outnumbered by newly immigrating CD45+, Thy-1+, CD3+ T cells--the actual DETC.

Maturational steps of bone marrow-derived dendritic murine epidermal cells. Phenotypic and functional studies on Langerhans cells and Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal cells in the perinatal period

The adult murine epidermis harbors two separate CD45+ bone marrow (BM)-derived dendritic cell systems, i.e., Ia+, ADPase+, Thy-1-, CD3- Langerhans cells (LC) and Ia-, ADPase-, Thy-1+, CD3+ dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC). To clarify whether the maturation of these cells from their ill-defined precursors is already accomplished before their entry into the epidermis or, alternatively, whether a specific epidermal milieu is required for the expression of their antigenic determinants, we studied the ontogeny of CD45+ epidermal cells (EC). In the fetal life, there exists a considerable number of CD45+, Ia-, ADPase+ dendritic epidermal cells. When cultured, these cells become Ia+ and, in parallel, acquire the potential of stimulating allogeneic T cell proliferation. These results imply that CD45+, Ia-, ADPase+ fetal dendritic epidermal cells are immature LC precursors and suggest that the epidermis plays a decisive role in LC maturation. The day 17 fetal epidermis also contains a small population of CD45+, Thy-1+, ADPase-, CD3- round cells. Over the course of 2 to 3 wk, they are slowly replaced by an ever increasing number of round and, finally, dendritic CD45+, Thy-1+, CD3+ EC. Thus, CD45+, Thy-1+, ADPase-, CD3- fetal EC may either be DETC precursors or, alternatively, may represent a distinctive cell system of unknown maturation potential. According to this latter theory, these cells would be eventually outnumbered by newly immigrating CD45+, Thy-1+, CD3+ T cells--the actual DETC.

[Fluorescence serological and culture detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Mycoplasma hyorhinis in swine lungs]

The present paper compares the fluorescence-serological detection of M. hyopneumoniae and M. hyorhinis in frozen sections with cultural procedures. In 161 lungs of swine the agent of enzootic pneumonia, M. hyopneumoniae, was found almost exclusively in frozen sections (22 times). Only one strain was cultivable. M. hyorhinis was detected 59 times by culture but only 18 times in the sections. For the detection of M. hyopneumoniae therefore the fluorescence-serological investigation of lung sections is the preferable method.

Sjögren's syndrome: a study of its neurological complications

A detailed retrospective study of 105 patients with Sjögren's syndrome (50 primary and 55 secondary cases), showed that 31 had vasculitis and 18 had neurological abnormalities which after full investigation were not attributable to other causes. Most of the neurological symptoms were mild and when found in patients with secondary Sjögren's syndrome were more characteristic of the underlying autoimmune rheumatic disease. We found no significant association between the frequency of either vasculitis or any autoantibodies and the presence of neurological disease, but did confirm a significant association between vasculitis and the presence of antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens. We therefore question whether severe and relapsing neurological disease is common in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

Isolation of anaerobic mollicutes from the intestine of swine

Anaerobic mollicutes were isolated from the intestinal content and the epithelium of the caecum and colon of 4 of 8 swine. All of the isolates belonged to the same species. This species was resistant to digitonin and polyanethol sulfonate and was able to ferment glucose, hemolyse erythrocytes and lyse horse serum. For testing the cholesterol requirement the strain 4 A 11 was selected which was independent of cholesterol. The agent was different in the immunofluorescence test from the mollicutes reported previously in swine and quite different in its nutritional requirements from cholesterol-independent mollicutes isolated from the rumen of cattle and sheep. Thus the isolated mollicutes seem to represent a new species.

A controlled study of oral prednisolone in frozen shoulder

Forty patients with frozen shoulder were randomly allocated to a treated group who received oral prednisolone or a nontreatment group who received no specific therapy. All the patients were encouraged to perform home pendular exercise. The improvement in pain at night showed a significantly different pattern in the two groups (p less than 0.05), with the treated group improving more rapidly. Pain on movement and at rest and the recovery in the range of movement was not significantly different in the two groups. There was no difference between the patient groups at the end of the study (8 months follow-up) and patients still had a marked restriction in range (p less than 0.0001) when compared to normal controls of similar age and sex.

Is therapeutic ultrasound effective in treating soft tissue lesions?

Of 76 patients with lateral epicondylitis, 38 were randomly allocated to receive ultrasound treatment and 38 placebo. All 76 were given 12 treatments each over four to six weeks. The conditions of 24 patients (63%) treated with ultrasound and 11 (29%) given placebo improved, the difference being significant at the 1% level. Improvement in particular clinical variables (pain score, weight lifting, grip strength) also showed an advantage for the patients given ultrasound treatment. A simple underwater radiation balance showed considerable fluctuation in ultrasonic output, and frequent checks of output were shown to be necessary. Ultrasound enhances recovery in most patients with lateral epicondylitis.

The timing of prednisolone dosage and its effect on morning stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis

Forty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) maintained on low dose prednisolone (mean 5.8 mg) participated in a double-blind cross-over study to determine the effect of timing (morning or night) of prednisolone dosage on morning stiffness. Prednisolone given at night resulted in a significantly shorter duration of morning stiffness (p = 0.0001) than did an equivalent dose given in the morning.

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy of persistent rotator cuff tendinitis. A double-blind controlled assessment

The value of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) for the treatment of persistent rotator cuff tendinitis was tested in a double-blind controlled study in 29 patients whose symptoms were refractory to steroid injection and other conventional conservative measures. The treated group (15 patients) had a significant benefit compared with the control group (14 patients) during the first 4 weeks of the study, when the control group received a placebo. In the second 4 weeks, when all patients were on active coils, no significant differences were noted between the groups. This lack of difference persisted over the third phase, when neither group received any treatment for 8 weeks. At the end of the study 19 (65%) of the 29 patients were symptomless and 5 others much improved. PEMF therapy may thus be useful in the treatment of severe and persistent rotator cuff and possibly other chronic tendon lesions.

A clinical and thermographic study of lateral epicondylitis

The diagnosis and management of many soft-tissue lesions remains difficult largely as a result of a lack of objective assessment. It is considered that thermography may fulfil this role. During a therapeutic study of 56 tennis-elbow lesions, detailed clinical assessment was supplemented by serial thermography of the lateral elbow. A characteristic localized thermographic abnormality was found in 53 of the 56 affected elbows and only 3 of 60 (120 elbows) normal age- and sex-matched controls. Microcomputer analysis of the thermal gradient slope across the abnormal area showed a correlation with clinical state, reflecting recovery, and revealing a much smaller diurnal variation than was seen in the solely temperature-based parameters. Clinical features do show some variability both with regard to the site of tenderness and degree of involvement of supination and pronation. While these differences may have pathological significance they do not appear to have prognostic importance. Thermography is a useful objective method for assessment of tennis elbow and may aid the investigation and understanding of other soft-tissue lesions.

Immunological studies in frozen shoulder

This immunological study of 40 patients with frozen shoulder showed a pretreatment increase in immune complex levels, C-reactive protein, and decreased lymphocyte transformation to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A compared to a control group. Repeat estimations after 8 months showed that values tended to approach control levels.

Venous air emboli in sheep: reversible increase in lung microvascular permeability

We studied the effects of continuous intravenous air embolization on lung fluid balance in unanesthetized sheep. Following a 2-h base line, we infused 300-micrometers-diam air bubbles into the pulmonary artery at a rate sufficient to increase pulmonary vascular resistance by 60-300% and for periods of 0.25-3 h. Air emboli produced a dose- and duration-dependent increase in lung lymph and protein flow due mainly to an increase in endothelial barrier permeability but also to elevated pressure in the over-perfused microcirculation. When we stopped the air infusion, the vascular resistance fell as the air emboli were reabsorbed. Lung lymph and protein flow increased further and then returned slowly to base line with a half-time proportional to the duration of embolization. Increasing left atrial pressure during air embolization caused an increase in lymph flow and protein clearance and an average decrease of 15 Torr in arterial O2 tension, all changes in excess of that caused by either increased pressure or air emboli alone.

Influence of growth temperature on structure, thermostability and kinetic properties of the ATPase coupling factor AF1 of a thermophilic blue-green alga (cyanobacterium)

The coupling factor AF1 isolated from cells of the thermophilic blue-green alga Mastigocladus laminosus grown at 40 degrees C, 50 degrees C and 60 degrees C is investigated and compared with the chloroplast coupling factor CF1. It is demonstrated that the structure of AF1 is affected by the growth temperature. The AF1 from 60 degrees C shows a split alpha-band in dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis which is not observed in AF1 from 40 degrees C or from 50 degrees C. Only the AF1 from 60 degrees C aggregates with allophycocyanin. The AF1 from 60 degrees C is stable up to 85 degrees C for 60 min whereas the AF1 from 40 degrees C and 50 degrees C denature between 65 degrees C and 70 degrees C. CF1 is much less stable. In contrast to the structure, the kinetic properties of the coupling factor are not influenced by the growth temperature. Furthermore, the reaction rates of all three AF1 preparations have the same temperature optimum which jis also identical to that of CF1. The kinetic properties of the AF1 from 50 degrees C were determined in more detail. In the absence of ADP the saturation curve for ATP shows Michaelis-Menten kinetics with Km = 480 micromol and V = 30 micromol ATP hydrolyzed X mg protein-1 X min-1. With the addition of ADP this curve becomes sigmoidal and V decreases. This behaviour and the Hill values suggest an allosteric enzyme with two active sites acting cooperatively. ADP as a product of the ATPase reaction inhibits the enzyme. The inhibition is not simply competitive, it also influences the cooperativity of the active sites.

Histophotometry: a new method for automated histological examination of solid tissue samples demonstrated on bladder cancer

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the ability of a new method to discriminate between benign and malignant tissue. Tissue samples from three patients with bladder tumours and one patient with bladder diverticula have been examined by histophotometry. This method, based on the correlation of nuclear volume and nucleic acid contents per cell uses thick formalin fixed samples. The results are obtained by measurements averaging more than one hundred thousand cells per sample. By this histophotometric examination a clear differentiation between malignant and to differentiate between infiltrating and noninfiltrating tumour, as well as inflamed bladder tissue. The results obtained histophotometrically were compared with the histological findings.

Isolation and composition of the subunits of spinach chloroplast coupling factor protein

A more convenient method for preparing large amounts of spinach chloroplast coupling factor is described, in which centrifugation of the EDTA-extracted chloroplasts is replaced by batchwise adsorption on DEAE-cellulose followed by filtration through Miracloth. Methods have been developed to purify the subunits from coupling factor dissociated by sodium dodecyl sulfate, involving hydroxylapatite chromatography followed by gel filtration with the detergent still present. The amino acid composition of the subunits purified by these methods was determined, with some differences noted in values for cysteine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and methionine compared to previously published values. The stoichiometry of the subunits was estimated as 2:2:1:1:2 from their relative adsorption of dye after gel electrophoresis, compared to dye adsorbed by known amounts of the purified subunits. Estimates of subunit stoichiometry are rounded off to nearest whole numbers; actual preparations of coupling factor usually show less than complete amounts of the two smallest subunits.

Photosynthetic activities of membrane preparations of the blue-green alga Phormidium luridum

Techniques have been developed for the isolation of whole spheroplaste and membrane preparations from the blue-green alga Phormidium luridum which are active in photosystem-II-sensitized and photosystem-I-sensitized electron-transport reactions and in photophosphorylation. Attention is called to the necessity of supplying magnesium and phosphate throughout the preparative and assay procedures for obtaining active membranes. Selective washing of a proper membrane preparation is shown to remove a new protein factor, termed protein factor 1, which restores the ability of the preparation ot catalyze photosystem-I-sensitized reactions.