Mammalian skeletal muscle: long-lasting contractures and potentiated tetani produced by conditioning with weak acid anions

Reversible contractures can be induced in slow mammalian muscles by manipulations that probably generate a long-lasting alkalinization of the muscle cell interior. Such contractures reach about 1/4 of the tetanic force, P0, and last 10 times longer than potassium contractures. While in contracture, the muscle fibers have high resting potentials so that they can be electrically stimulated. Tetanic force is then increased and added to that of the contracture so that total force may reach 2 P0. This level of potentiation has not been reached by any previously-known method.

Conservation of the acetylation pattern of histones and the transcriptional activity in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells by sodium butyrate

Histone deacetylases of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells are active at low temperatures (0-4 degrees C). The so-called hyperacetylated state of histones is the physiological state of histones in intact Ehrlich ascites tumor cells which is conserved by the continuous presence of 10 mM sodium butyrate during the preparation of nuclei and histones. Isolation of histones in the absence of butyrate causes an artificial decrease in histone acetylation. This artificial loss of histone acetylation produces a decrease of the elongation reaction in the RNA synthesis. The initiation of RNA synthesis is not affected.

[Poisoning with clonidin hydrochloride in children and adults]

In this study clinical findings are presented of 31 patients with clonidinee intoxication and the therapeutic measures taken in these cases are discussed. In toddlers poisoning is seen after ingestion of a single tablet of 150 micrograms clonidine, whilst in adults poisoning may occur already at a dosage just exceeding the therapeutic limit, which is subject to wide individual variation (1 to 3 tablets). Primary elimination procedures must be instituted at these dosages, but, because of the rapid absorption of clonidine, gastric lavage and induced emesis provide no benefit to patients with complete symptomatology or those who took the overdose several hours before. Chlorpromazine-like effects, hypotension and bradycardia proved to be the outstanding features. Respiratory depression, disturbances of myocardial conduction or hypertension were less frequent. Symptoms lasted for a mean of 15.5 +/- 8.6 hours, with a range of 4 to 36 hours. Fluid therapy and, as necessary, dopamine for hypotension, phentolamine for hypertension and atropine for bradycardia caused prompt improvement in addition to essential measures such as meticulous control of respiratory function, body temperature and of ECG changes. There was no need to implement the central clonidine antagonist, tolazoline in any of these cases.

Complement-dependent lymphocytotoxic antibodies (CLA) in systemic lupus erythematosus preferentially inhibit the generation of alloreactive cytotoxic T cells in secondary CML

Complement-dependent lymphocytotoxic autoantibodies (CLA) are invariably present in sera of patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study aimed to test for the influence of such antibodies on the in vitro generation of human alloantigen reactive proliferative and cytotoxic T cell responses. Unsensitized or alloantigen primed memory cells were pre-treated with CLA in the presence or absence of complement. Following stimulation of the remaining cells with allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclears, the proliferative and cytotoxic capacity was evaluated. Results indicated that only pre-treatment with CLA and complement influenced these reactions whereas in the absence of complement antibodies were totally ineffective. Pre-treatment of unsensitized precursor cells reduced and delayed both proliferative and cytotoxic reactivity; in contrast, pre-treatment of memory cells exclusively reduced cellular cytotoxicity. It thus appears that such SLE associated autoantibodies in the presence of complement are capable of modifying the balance between different subsets of alloreactive T cells.

[Problems in the treatment and after care of chronic dermatoses. A clinical study on hametum ointment]

Two groups of patients with endogenous eczema (n = 36) and toxic degenerative eczema (n = 80) were treated with Hametum Salbe and a control preparation. The present results indicate that Hametum Salbe is superior in effectiveness in treatment of atopic dermatitis compared to the control preparation. There was no difference in therapeutical effectiveness in the treatment of primary irritant contact dermatitis. For treatment and interval therapy as well as for long-term treatment of chronic dermatoses Hametum Salbe is a valuable dermatological preparation which can be used without any risk in long-term therapy.

Collagen heterogeneity in normal rabbit cornea. I. Isolation and biochemical characterization of the genetically-distinct collagens

Limited proteolysis of preparations of mature rabbit cornea with pepsin allows the recovery of approximately 90% of the tissue collagen in soluble form. Using recently described selective precipitation techniques, the soluble cornea collagen can be resolved into two major fractions. The predominant fraction, which accounts for about 95% of the solubilized collagen, was identified by means of solubility properties, electrophoretic and chromatographic properties, as well as amino acid analyses of its constituent chains, as Type I collagen. The alternate fraction, which accounts for virtually all of the remainder of the solubilized cornea collagen, was identified by means of the same criteria as collagen comprised of the A and B chains. In addition, the stoichiometry of the latter chains in preparations of cornea collagen indicate that in the cornea these chains are likely to participate in the formation of only one type of collagen molecule with the chain composition, AB2. And finally, the demonstration that Type I and the AB2 collagens are the predominant forms of collagen recoverable from the mature cornea strongly suggests that molecules comprised of the A and B chains are not necessarily confined to basement membrane structures.

[Malignant tumors of the nails]

The clinical symptoms of malignant neoplasms (M. Bowen, Carcinoma spinocellular, malignant melanoma) in the area of the finger- and toe-nals are described. Because of the poor prognosis of these neoplasms in this area early detection and treatment is of utmost importance

[Are sandflea infections increasing?]

A report on two cases is given. The patients showed the typical skin affections after trips to Africa. Tungiasis occasionally leads to secondary infections and may be the cause of longterm inflammation or erysipelas. Treatment is discussed and a possible increase of tungiasis because of an increase of tourists to tropical countries is pointed out.

Ex vivo renal perfusion and autotransplantation in treatment of calculous disease or abdominal aortic aneurysm

Two more indications are described for temporary ex vivo perfusion of kidneys with revascularization of these organs as autografts to orthotopic or heterotopic locations. One of the patients had staghorn calculi which were removed from a solitary kidney. The other patient had both kidneys autografted in the course of a surgical procedure on an extensive abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Studies on the renal excretion of norepinephrine

Studies were carried out in anesthetized dogs to investigate the renal clearance of norepinephrine (NE) and to determine the origin of this amine in the urine. Infused radioactive NE was cleared from plasma at a rate averaging 63.8% of the glomerular filtration rate. NE was shown to be freely filterable, and evidence has been presented which suggests but does not prove that the amine is partially reabsorbed from the glomerular filtrate; metabolism of NE in the tubular fluid by catechol-o-methyl transferase has not been excluded. The clearance of this catecholamine was not affected by changes in urine pH or flow. Total chronic denervation of one kidney was shown to have no effect on the rate of excretion of endogenous NE. Therefore, the NE that is excreted in the urine would appear to be solely derived from the catecholamines in circulating blood.