Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) is characterized by transient, annular cutaneous lesions, congenital heart block, and a variety of systemic or hematologic abnormalities. We describe a white infant girl with onset of skin lesions on the face and scalp at 4 days of age. At age 4 weeks she had generalized, erythematous, scaly, annular skin lesions that underwent spontaneous regression at age 5 months. Her mother had no cutaneous or other lesions, but complement examinations revealed the presence of anti-Ro(SSA) and anti-La(SSB) antibodies, and absence of anti-Sm and anti-RNP antibodies. Karyotyping revealed Turner syndrome (TS) with 45,XO sex chromosome constitution. Ro(SSA) and La(SSB) antibodies were found, and direct immunofluorescence testing on healthy skin was positive. At age 5 months, follow-up immunologic examination of the infant had normal results but the mother still had anti-Ro(SSA) and anti-La(SSB) antibodies. We believe that this is the first reported case of NLE in association with TS.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hyperosmolarity enhances smooth muscle contractile responses to phenylephrine and partially impairs nitric oxide production in the rat tail artery.

The respective effects of hyperosmolarity caused by impermeant solutes, such as mannitol and sucrose, on the endothelium and smooth muscles cell responses were investigated in the rat tail artery. The vessels, with or without endothelium, were infused and superfused with an isosmolar saline solution, and were repeatedly stimulated with phenylephrine. Superfusing with hyperosmolar fluid (390-420 mosm/l) produced a transient increase in the arterial basal perfusion pressure which peaked after approximately 5 min and then declined within 15 min to a stable nonsignificant value above control values in subsequent experiments. In arteries with functional endothelium, the effect of phenylephrine was about 1.9-fold larger in hyperosmotic medium compared to that in isosmotic medium. In hyperosmotic media the response was still more than twofold enhanced in endothelium-denuded vessels compared to those with endothelium. In the latter, indomethacin (10 microM) had no effect, but N omega-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME; 30 mumol/l), an inhibitor of NO production, enhanced the response to phenylephrine to reach the same magnitude of response as seen in endothelium-denuded arteries. This effect of L-NAME was antagonized by L-arginine. Relaxation induced by the NO donor SIN-1 was unchanged by hyperosmolarity, indicating that the effect of NO was not impaired. It is concluded that, in the rat tail artery, the enhancement in phenylephrine-induced contractions produced in a hyperosmolar solution is due to both an endothelium-independent increase in smooth muscle responses and a moderate decrease in the production of NO, or an NO-like factor, by the endothelium. In spite of this reduction, endothelium-derived NO still plays a major role in attenuating phenylephrine-induced contractions in hyperosmolar medium.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Preliminary report on the use of plastic intrauterine devices].

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Contraceptive Devices↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Immunologic responses of the anterior chamber of the eye].

A better understanding of the ocular immune responses should help us determine the etiology and pathophysiology of many uveitides. Ocular immune "privilege" is the result of the interaction of factors such as the blood-ocular barrier, the absence of lymphatic vessels, the sequestration of retinal antigens, the presence of local immunomodulators in the aqueous humor, and anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID). The purpose of this review is to discuss some of the immunologic characteristics of the anterior chamber of the eye, their relation to intraocular inflammation and their systemic effects.

Animals↗