Prenatal manifestation of superior mesenteric artery syndrome

Intestinal obstruction is not a rarity in the newborn. Its etiology is diverse. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is a phenomenon in which the duodenum is obstructed by the SMA. This causes bowel obstruction accompanied by duodenal dilatation. It has previously been described in adults and children but rarely in infants. We report for the first time on an intrauterine manifestation of SMAS.

Effects of CAMPATH-1 antibodies on the functional activity of monocytes and polymorphonuclear neutrophils

The rat antihuman lymphocyte monoclonal antibodies CAMPATH-1M and CAMPATH-1G (IgM kappa and IgG2b kappa, respectively) recognize cell surface antigens (CDW52) present on normal T and B lymphocytes as well as on monocytes, with weak expression on neutrophils. In previous studies, when peripheral blood mononuclear cells were treated with CAMPATH-1M and human complement, more than 99% of lymphocytes were killed. The present study indicates that both CAMPATH-1M and -1G bind to peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes and do not affect the activity of the former cells but decrease the functional activity of monocytes. Decreased functional activity includes suppressed superoxide production by monocytes in response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), reduced activation of the cells as indicated by decreased ability to reduce 3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5 diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), reduced tumoricidal activity, and reduced capability to kill Candida albicans. The ability of CAMPATH-1 to suppress the functional activity of monocytes in vitro suggests that in vivo administration of CAMPATH-1G may also affect the function of monocytes.

Neonatal noma

Neonatal noma is a rare clinical syndrome affecting term and preterm infants. It causes gangrene of the orofacial tissues accompanied by sepsis and a high mortality rate. A preterm 35-week infant, severely growth retarded in utero, developed clinical signs of sepsis with ulcers all over the oral mucosa caused by local infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The lesions healed with cicatricial sequelae of the mouth, sequestration of teeth, and retraction of perimandibular soft tissues.

Effects of human interleukin 3, macrophage and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on monocyte function following autologous bone marrow transplantation

The effects of human interleukin 3 (IL-3), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were studied on the functional activity of human peripheral blood monocytes from healthy individuals and from eight patients at 4, 8 and 12 weeks following autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). Functions studied included superoxide production, phagocytosis of Candida albicans and reduction of 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2.5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT). IL-3 and GM-CSF significantly enhanced the oxidative metabolism of monocytes from healthy individuals, while the effect of M-CSF was moderate. A considerable variability between healthy individuals was found in both resting and cytokine-stimulated monocytes with regard to superoxide production. All three investigated CSFs, i.e. IL-3, M-CSF and GM-CSF did not affect phagocytosis of C. albicans by the cells or their metabolic activity (reduction of MTT). In ABMT patients no deficit in the functional activity of monocytes was found at any time after transplantation and all three CSFs investigated did not modulate the functional activity of the cells. These results suggest that monocytes do not have a major role in infectious complications post-ABMT.

Effects of recombinant human granulocyte and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors on neutrophil function following autologous bone marrow transplantation

Functional activity of peripheral blood neutrophils was assessed in eight patients at 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks following autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). Functions studied included superoxide generation (O2-) intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus, phagocytosis and killing of Candida albicans. Neutrophils were tested following in vitro preincubation with 300 pM granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), 1.2 nM granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or buffered solution (diluent) as control. Our data indicate that during the early period (weeks 4-6) following ABMT most of the patients exhibited diminished neutrophil oxidative metabolism, defective phagocytosis and killing of C. albicans and reduced capacity to kill S. aureus. In some patients a gradual increase in the functional activity of neutrophils occurred with time. Both GM-CSF and G-CSF induced in vitro amplification of (a) O2- production in response to fmet-leu-phe (FMLP) (b) phagocytosis and killing of C. albicans and (c) killing of S. aureus. This study suggests that GM-CSF and G-CSF may enhance the depressed functional activity of neutrophils following ABMT.