Treatment of chronic depression with sulpiride: evidence of efficacy in placebo-controlled single case studies

1994

Systematic variation of treatment (alternating active drug and placebo in four treatment periods) in individual patients is proposed to collect preliminary evidence for a therapeutic effect of sulpiride in chronic depression; the ARIMA model is applied to evaluate the intervention effects of the tentatively effective treatment in single subjects. Ten single cases of chronic depression with a diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia were selected and seven of these provided evidence for beneficial effects of sulpiride with regard to treating the symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, the drug effects were intraindividually not always replicable. The results obtained with these single…

Monolayer Properties of Hydrophobic .alpha.-Helical Peptides Having Various End Groups at the Air/Water Interface

1994

Pulse-frequency-modulated high-frequency-carrier diffractive elements for pattern projection

1994

An efficient two-stage algorithm is presented for the synthesis of high-frequency-carrier diffractive elements. First, an on-axis phase-only stripe-geometry element with an unconstrained profile along each stripe is designed by an iterative Fourier transform algorithm. In the second stage, a steep linear phase term is added, and the profile is hard-clipped along each stripe. The result is a binary, pulse-frequency-modulated element suitable, e.g. , for a resonance-domain realization, which permits the elimination of the twin image. Experimental results are provided by direct-write electron-beam lithography and optical lithography, using both fully and partially coherent illumination.

Differential effects of leflunomide on leukocytes: Inhibition of ratin vivo adhesion and humanin vitro oxidative burst without affecting surface mark…

1994

Leflunomide has been shown to combat effectively autoimmune diseases in a number of animal models, as well as chronic polyarthritis of humans. Here we report on the effects of this novel drug on the adherence of leukocytes to endothelium, an essential event in establishment and maintenance of inflammation. The entry of cells into tissues is dependent on interactions of adhesion molecules. The process of diapedesis, which these molecules control, involves three phases: tethering, triggering of receptors on endothelial cells and firm attachment of leukocytes to these cells. The interaction of LECAM-1 (constitutively expressed on circulating leukocytes) and P- and E-selectins on the vessel wll…

Differences in the topographical distribution of EEG activity during surgical anaesthesia and on emergence from volatile anesthetics.

1994

Computerized processing of a 16 channel EEG allows mapping and display of cortical electrical activity in a useful mode for intraoperative monitoring. We studied the topographical distribution of EEG-activity displayed as spectral maps comparing inhalational anaesthesia with isoflurane or enflurane during surgical anaesthesia and emergence. Two groups of nine patients each were anaesthetized with one of the two regimens. The EEG patterns during steady state end-tidal concentrations of isoflurane (0.7-1.1%) or enflurane (0.8-1.3%) showed highest activity in the frontal and occipital areas. At near awakening the frontal and occipital dominance of delta activity disappeared in both groups and …

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of spironolactone and its major metabolite canrenone in urine using ultraviolet detection and c…

1994

A rapid and simple column liquid chromatographic method involving a column-switching system for the determination of spironolactone and its main metabolite canrenone in urine is described. Purification and concentration was performed using an Hypersil ODS-C18, 30 microns (20 x 2.1 mm I.D.) pre-column. The most polar urinary compounds were removed by washing the pre-column with water, and the analytes were subsequently switched to a LiChrospher RP C18, 5 microns (125 x 4 mm I.D.) analytical column and separated by means of an acetonitrile-water mobile-phase. Under the proposed conditions, the extraction efficiency was approximately 100% over the 0.5-10.0 micrograms/ml concentration range. Th…

Darstellung von Hyperebenen in verallgemeinerten affinen Räumen durch Moduln

1994

The starting point of this article is a generalized concept of affine space which includes all affine spaces over unitary modules. Our main result is a representation theorem for hyperplanes of affine spaces: Every hyperplane which satisfies a weak richness condition is induced by a module. 1

Prenatal Ultrastructural Diagnosis in the Neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses

1994

Summary The neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinose (NCL) are autosomal-recessive disorders in childhood of unknown enzymatic origin. They can be recognized by the presence of abnormal lipopigments identified by electron microscopy. Based on the study of circulating lymphocytes, individual clinical subtypes of NCL can be correlated. Prenatal diagnosis of NCL with the electron microscope is now feasible for the infantile (Finnish) from (INCL) and late-infantile form (LINCL). INCL-specific granular lipopigments are present in endothelial cells of biopsied chorion stroma vessels of homozygously affected fetuses. In LINCL, disease-typical curvilinear bodies can be identified in uncultured amniotic fluid …

Evaluation of serum levels of soluble CD4, CD8 and β2-microglobulin in visceral human leishmaniasis

1994

SUMMARY The levels of soluble CD4 (sCD4), sCD8 and β2-microglobulin (β2-M) were measured in sera from patients with visceral leishmaniasis during the course of infection. Levels of sCD4. sCD8 and β2-M were raised significantly above levels In normal sera and returned to the normal range after recovery. The decrease in the levels of CDS was related to a reduction of anaemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. In contrast, sCD4 levels fluctuated during the period of infection. β2-M returned within normal range more rapidly than sCD8 secretion. Our results suggest that T cells are activated during infection, and that it is also possible that the raised levels of these soluble molecules play a ro…

Calix[4]arenes with alkylidene bridges, synthesis and conformational properties

1994

Abstract Calix[4]arenes with one or two alkylidene bridges were synthesized by “2+2” fragment condensation. As predicted by molecular mechanics calculations aliphatic residues at the bridging carbon atom(s) prefer the equatorial position.

Stretch Reflex Responses Following Mechanical Stimulation in Power- and Endurance-Trained Athletes

1994

The basic stretch reflex responses evoked by the mechanical stimuli were investigated among different athletic groups. The tests were performed by a special ankle ergometer, which created dorsiflexion velocities from 25 deg x s-1 to 115 deg x s-1 around the ankle joint. The EMG activity of soleus (SO), gastrocnemius (GA) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles was recorded with surface electrodes. In all subjects higher angular velocities caused higher stretch reflex responses. The endurance-trained athletes were more sensitive to the used stimuli than the power-trained athletes, because of their shorter latency times (43 +/- 7 ms vs 45 +/- 7 ms, p < 0.001 for the SO muscle and 40 +/- 8 ms vs 43…

Synthesis of insulin and its effects in Y79 human retinoblastoma cells

1994

This paper demonstrates that Y79 human retinoblastoma cells contain immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and release it in the medium. Cells cultured either in suspension or in monolayer showed a similar content of IRI. Moreover, in both conditions, IRI concentration was higher in cells cultured in serum-supplemented medium rather than in serum-free medium. Retinoblastoma cells are capable of synthesizing insulin. This was demonstrated by incubating Y79 cells with [3H]leucine. The synthesized radioactive insulin was separated and assayed by means of a HPLC procedure described in this paper. Both cell growth and [3H]thymidine and [3H]uridine incorporation into acid-insoluble fraction was reduced (-7…

Le sindromi prostatitiche croniche. Stato dell'arte

1994

Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Agents, XVIII: C-5 Functionalized 6,7-Diphenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolizines as Inhibitors of Bovine Cyclooxygenase and 5…

1994

6-(4-Chlorophenyl)-7-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolizines with functional groups at position 5 of the heterocyclic moiety were synthesized and tested. To determine their antiinflammatory activity bovine blood was used as enzyme source for the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase, respectively. The iminoxy acetic acid derivative and the iminotetrazole selectively inhibit the 5-lipoxygenase, all the other compounds show medium or low affinity to the active sites of cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase. In general all compounds inhibit 5-lipoxygenase more effectively than cyclooxygenase. Concerning the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase the most active compounds found are equipotent to the corresponding pro…

Beryllium-induced disturbances of the murine immune system reflect some phenomena observed in sarcoidosis.

1994

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown origin. In respect to clinical and immunological characteristics, it is indistinguishable from berylliosis. As an approach to develop a murine model reflecting some aspects of sarcoidosis, we attempted to induce berylliosis in mice by treating inbred F1 mice (C57B16 x DBA/2) with 3 mg beryllium sulfate (BeSO4) per kg body weight intraperitoneally. Either pure BeSO4 or BeSO4 in combination with incomplete Freund's adjuvant was administered. Alternatively, pure BeSO4 was injected 2 days after a single application of cyclophosphamide (150 mg/kg). The spleen index, the spontaneous and phorbolmyristate acetate (PMA)-induced radical oxyg…

Color Doppler Imaging of Arterial Blood Flow in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

1994

Purpose: The hemodynamics of the retrobulbar arterial circulation of patients with central retinal vein occlusion were evaluated in order to better understand the pathophysiology of this disease. Methods: Color Doppler imaging was used to measure the peak systolic velocity and vascular resistance (pulsatility index) in the retrobulbar arteries of involved eyes and clinically healthy fellow eyes of patients with central retinal vein occlusion and in the control eyes of age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Results: Average peak systolic velocity was significantly lower and average vascular resistance was significantly higher in the central retinal artery of involved eyes of patients with …

Qualification conditions for multivalued functions in Banach spaces with applications to nonsmooth vector optimization problems

1994

In this paper we introduce qualification conditions for multivalued functions in Banach spaces involving the A-approximate subdifferential, and we show that these conditions guarantee metric regularity of multivalued functions. The results are then applied for deriving Lagrange multipliers of Fritz—John type and Kuhn—Tucker type for infinite non-smooth vector optimization problems.

Sukzessive und simultane Aufspaltung der Erzähl-instanz im Erzählwerk Margaret Atwoods

1994

Der vorliegende Artikel konzentriert sich auf wesentliche Aspekte der Erzahltechnik Margaret Atwoods, und zwar auf wiederholt von ihr besonders in ihrer fruhen und mittleren Schaffensphase eingesetzte Strukturformen der erzahlerischen Vermittlung, die ten-denziell von starker thematischer Aussagekraft sind. Es werden zum einen zwei auffallige Strukturformen, unter Besprechung der einschlagigen Atwood-Texte, vorgestellt: die sukzessive und die simultane Aufspaltung der Erzahlinstanz (meist in Ich- und Sie-Erzahlform) bei gleichbleibendem centre of consciousness, d.h. bei invarianter Fokalisierungsinstanz. Der Artikel erlautert uberdies, inwieweit Atwood diese Strukturierungsformen zur Dramat…

Autoimmune Diabetes Induced by the β-cell Toxin STZ: Immunity to the 60-kDa Heat Shock Protein and to Insulin

1994

Administered at a suitably low dose, the toxin streptozotocin (STZ) can trigger an autoimmune process leading to destruction of the beta-cells of the pancreatic islets. In this study, we examined specific immunological reactions in mice before and during the development of STZ-induced autoimmune diabetes. We now report that the development of spontaneous autoantibodies to insulin can serve as a marker of susceptibility to a low dose of STZ. Susceptible male mice of the C57BL/KsJ strain manifested such anti-insulin antibodies, and resistant female mice did not. Administration of a low dose of STZ (five daily doses each of 30 mg/kg) induced transient hyperglycemia approximately 20-30 days lat…

Herstellung von 1,5‐Cyclooctadiin und 1,3,5,7‐Cyclooctatetraen aus 1,5‐Cyclooctadien

1994

Preparation of 1,5-Cyclooctadiyne and 1,3,5,7-Cyclooctatetraene from 1,5-Cyclooctadiene Bromination of 1,5-cyclooctadiene (1) and stepwise dehydro-bromination first with KOtBu and then with KOtBu/18-crown-6 yields 1,5-cyclooctadiyne (5). A prolonged interaction of the base causes a complete transformation to cyclooc-tatetraene (6). Diyne 5 and even more the intermediate enyne 4 are highly reactive dienophiles. The cycloadducts 10–14 formed with 1,3-cyclohexadiene, carbon disulfide, and tetraphenylcyclopentadienone were isolated and characterized. Treatment of 5 with titanium tetrachloride induces a vigorous polymerization.

Fluctuating hydrodynamics and diffusion in amorphous solids

1994

The fluctuating hydrodynamic description for an isotropic fluid is extended to include the displacement field u, reflecting the freezing of the local structures in an amorphous solid. The fluctuating nonlinear equations for the set of hydrodynamic variables including u has been obtained. The role of u is manifested through its longitudinal part, i.e., \ensuremath{\nabla}\ensuremath{\cdot}u, in terms of which we define the variable c(x,t). It refers to the diffusion of the free volume or vacancies, signifying configurational rearrangements in the amorphous solid. The analysis here shows that one recovers the earlier result obtained by Das and Mazenko [Phys. Rev. A 34, 2265 (1986)] for mode c…

Dithiametacyclophane mit Dreifachbindungen

1994

Dithiametacyclophanes with Triple Bonds Schemes 1 and 2 show the syntheses of dithia[8]metacyclo-phanes 4a-d and tetrathia[m.n]metacyclophanes 9, 10 by cyclization reactions applying the cesium effect. All these cyclophanes contain C—C triple bonds which influence the molecular dynamics; especially the halogen substituents in 4b-d obstruct the topomerization.

Cellular distribution of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit mRNAs in the human cerebral cortex as revealed by non-isotopic in situ hybridizatio…

1994

The pharmacology of telencephalic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) has become an important issue in recent years. While in the human brain a direct pharmacological assessment is difficult to achieve the visualization of nAChRs has been enabled by histochemical techniques providing an ever increasing and improving resolution. Receptor autoradiography was used to visualize binding sites on the level of cortical layers whereas immunohistochemistry has allowed for the cell type-specific and ultrastructural localization of receptor protein. Further investigations have to elucidate the cellular sites of NAChR biosynthesis by visualizing subunit-specific transcripts. Using autopsy sample…

Coagulation, fibrinolysis and haemorheology in premenopausal obese women with different body fat distribution

1994

Recently waist/hip ratio (WHR), a marker of body fat distribution, has been described as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of body fat distribution on metabolic, haemostatic and haemorheological pattern in premenopausal obese women with different WHR. Fourty premenopausal obese women were subdivided into two groups, matched for age and body mass index (BMI): 20 women with abdominal obesity (WHR = 0.94 +/- 0.02) and 20 women with peripheral obesity (WHR = 0.77 +/- 0.03). Twenty nonobese women were recruited as control group. The abdominal obesity group had significantly higher blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholest…

Stable Expression of Heterologous Sulfotransferase in V79 Cells: Activation of Primary and Secondary Benzylic Alcohols

1994

Abstract A sulfotransferase (ST) capable of activating 1-hydroxymethylpyrene (HMP) and 9-hydroxymethylanthracene (HMA) to mutagens was purified from rat liver. This enzyme appeared to be identical with hydroxysteroid STa, whose cDNA was cloned and stably expressed in Chinese hamster V79 cells. Several primary and secondary benzylic alcohols derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons induced gene mutations, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and/or cytotoxicity in these cells.

Fjord-region diol-epoxides of benzo[c]chrysene are potent inducers of micronuclei in murine bone marrow

1994

Abstract Vicinal diol-epoxides are the best established carcinogenic metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Numerous studies have demonstrated their high genotoxic activity in various in vitro test systems. However, in vivo mutagenicity data are not available. The fjor-region diol-epoxides of benzo[ c ]chrysene combine high mutagenic activity in vitro with hydrolytic stability. They were tested for the induction of micronuclei in the bone marrow following intraperitoneal administration to NMRI mice. The anti diasteromer of the diol-epixode enhanced the frequency of micronucleated polycrhomatic erythrocytes strongly (7–19-fold above the value in untreated controls) over a very wide…

Eavesdropping on quantum-cryptographical systems

1994

Quantum cryptography cannot prevent eavesdropping, but any eavesdropping attempt can be detected by the legitimate users of the communication channel. This is because eavesdropping affects the quantum state of the information carriers and results in an abnormal error rate. In this paper, we analyze various eavesdropping techniques, which may be either translucent or opaque to the transmitted photons, and we estimate the error rate above which the key distribution is deemed unsafe and should be abandoned. © 1994 The American Physical Society.

Effects of persistent physical activity and inactivity on coronary risk factors in children and young adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns …

1994

The tracking of physical activity and its influence on selected coronary heart disease risk factors were studied in a 6-year (original survey in 1980, with follow-ups in 1983 and 1986) study of Finnish adolescents and young adults as part of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. The subjects in this analysis were aged 12, 15, and 18 years at baseline. Physical activity was assessed with a standardized questionnaire, and a sum index was derived from the product of intensity, frequency, and duration of leisure time physical activity. Complete data on physical activity index from each study year were available on 961 participants. Significant tracking of physical activity was observed …

Flow analysis-spectrophotometric determination of ?-dopa in pharmaceutical formulations by reaction with p-Aminophenol

1994

Abstract A new method has been developed for the spectrophotometric determination of l -dopa in pharmaceutical formulations. The method is based on the reaction between the open-chain quinone of l -dopa, obtained in NaOH, and the benzoqinoneimine form of p-aminophenol, in the presence of KIO4. The reaction product is determined at 574 nm by using both alternately procedures, one based on the stopped-flow and another on a flow injection approach. Under the best experimental conditions L-dopa can be determined with a limit of detection of 52 ng/ml and a relative standard deviation of 0.2% for three replicate measurements of a solution containing 4 μg/ml.

Detection of powerful odorants in heated milk by use of extract dilution sniffing analysis

1994

SummaryThe odour impact compounds of raw, pasteurized and UHT bovine milk were investigated using vacuum extraction and extract dilution sniffing analysis using CharmAnalysis™. Fifteen odour peaks with Charm values between 10 and 3443 were detected. Of these peaks, twelve were identified as hexanal, ethyl butanoate, 2-heptanone, heptanal, dimethyl sulphone, l-octen-3-ol, ethyl hexanoate, 2-nonanone, nonanal, benzothiazole, 2-undecanone, indole and one as a mixture of 2-tridecanone and δ-decalactone. Dimethyl sulphone, indole and one unknown compound (retention index 1154) were the only ones detected as odour impact compounds in all three types of milk. Ethyl butanoate and ethyl hexanoate we…

Metastatic instability at the proximal end of the femur

1994

A retrospective study was performed of the surgical treatment of metastatic lesions of the proximal femur in 50 patients. In 25 consecutive cases a megaprosthesis was implanted; compound plate osteosynthesis was performed in another 25 consecutive patients. Indications for surgical treatment were pathological fractures or, for prophylactic treatment, lesions of the femoral cortex exceeding 2.5 cm in diameter or affecting half the diameter of the bone or more. In all patients capable of walking preoperatively mobility was regained. Immediate full weight-bearing stability was obtained in all patients. Group analysis showed that the functional rating of the hip joint was unchanged, i.e., good …

Determinants essential for the transmissible gastroenteritis virus-receptor interaction reside within a domain of aminopeptidase-N that is distinct f…

1994

The swine-specific coronavirus transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) uses pig aminopeptidase-N (pAPN) as a cellular receptor. We showed that the human aminopeptidase-N (hAPN) cannot substitute for pAPN in this respect, although the two enzymes have 80% amino acid sequence identity. In order to map the TGEV binding site on pAPN, we constructed a series of APN cDNA chimeras between pAPN and hAPN and analyzed them for their capacity to confer infectivity. The region between residues 717 and 813 was found to be essential for infectivity. This region also contains the epitopes for three TGEV-blocking monoclonal antibodies directed against pAPN. These data support the view that the catalytic…

Iris Claw Phakic Lens—Intermediate and Long-term Corneal Endothelial Changes

1994

OBJECTIVE: To study the alterations in the corneal endothelial layer two years after the implantation of iris claw phakic lenses. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study of postoperative results with a minimum follow-up of 6 months, maximum of two years and a mean of 14 months. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, ‘La Fe’ University Hospital, Department of Surgery of Valencia School of Medicine, Valencia, Spain. PATIENTS: Ninety eyes of 70 patients presenting high myopia who underwent anterior chamber phakic lens implantation with iris fixation IOLs in the last two years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Non-contact specular microscopy with video image system was used to perform examination of the corneal e…

Fast Spin Echo e Spin-Echo

1994

Uno dei maggiori problemi connessi alio studio del SNC di pazienti in età pediatrica con RM è indubbiamente costituito dalla durata dell'esame stesso, che impone sovente la necessità di una sedazione farmacologica del paziente e limita allo stretto indispensabile il numero delle acquisizioni effettuate. Appare pertanto facilmente intuibile l'entusiasmo rivolto verso nuovi tipi di sequenze che presentino quale caratteristica principale una drastica riduzione dei tempi di acquisizione pur mantenendo un'affidabile qualità diagnostica. Le sequenze di tipo Fast-Spin-Echo (FSE) costituiscono il successivo sviluppo delle sequenze denominate RARE (Rapid Acquisition Relaxation Enhanced) descritte d…

Bolus-enhanced renal spiral CT: technique, diagnostic value and drawbacks

1994

Abstract In addition to pre- and postcontrast renal CT scans, early bolus-enhanced spiral scans during demarcation of the corticomedullary junction were acquired in 85 patients. The diagnostic value and drawbacks of the three imaging series in the evaluation of renal disease were assessed. Renal calcifications and calculus disease detected at precontrast scans (18%) were obscured after contrast administration and excretion in most cases. In the detection of renal lesions bolus-enhanced spiral CT and delayed postcontrast scans had an identical diagnostic yield (94%). Bolus-enhanced spiral CT was superior in the assessment of lesion vascularity and vascular anatomy as well as opacification of…

Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Nucleic Acid on Inactivated Filter Paper Disks by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Microtiter Plate Assay

1994

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in cultured cells, peripheral blood samples and sera were adsorbed on filter paper disks and inactivated by heat or ethanol. Two procedures, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and microtiter plate assay (HMPA) were used to detect the nucleic acid. The sensitivity after different heat treatments with nested PCR for HIV-1 DNA (or nested reverse transcription-PCR for HIV-1 RNA) was identical regardless of whether the samples were examined immediately or one month later. Inactivation by ethanol treatment resulted in a slight loss of sensitivity. The HMPA proved to be as reliable and specific as the conventional PCR technique. We conclude that the hea…