Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by reduced acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction. We report a model of the disease developed by active immunization of rats with purely cholinergic nerve terminals (synaptosomes) isolated from the Torpedo electric organ. Electromyographic studies of neuromuscular transmission in these rats showed a weak initial response followed by a pronounced incremental response to paired supramaximal stimuli (8 msec apart). There was no such response in control rats. There was no evidence of a postsynaptic transmission deficit in the synaptosomes immunized rats. We conclude that immunizing rats with Torpedo cholinergic nerve terminals causes a specific presynaptic dysfunction and may serve as a model for the study of LEMS.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Per-oral excision of a branchial cyst.

The treatment of branchial cysts is by surgical excision. We describe a case where the cyst was medial to the pharyngeal constrictors, making a per-oral approach the safest, and easiest method of removal. The position of the cyst supports the theory that branchial cysts are congenital in origin.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Comparison of bactericidal activity of five antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus.

Ten volunteers were given each of five antibiotics, sequentially, until steady state was reached. Peak and trough sera were then drawn, and bactericidal titers were determined to two different isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, both sensitive in vitro to all antibiotics tested. The antibiotics were cephalexin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ), clindamycin, dicloxacillin, and ciprofloxacin. Mean peak serum bactericidal titers (SBT) were significantly higher for cephalexin than for dicloxacillin, ciprofloxacin, and TMP/SMZ (P less than .05). The difference between cephalexin and clindamycin did not achieve statistical significance. Dicloxacillin, clindamycin, and ciprofloxacin were not statistically different from each other. Mean SBT for TMP/SMZ was less than 1:2, significantly less than that achieved by the other antibiotics. Only clindamycin achieved a trough SBT greater than 1:2. This was statistically significant compared with each of the other antibiotics.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Hemodynamic status during famotidine infusion.

Histamine H2 antagonists, which reduce gastric acid secretion, are often used in the intensive care setting for the prophylaxis of stress ulcers. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated hemodynamic parameters in 11 stable, critically ill patients receiving famotidine. Repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated that famotidine had no significant effect on baseline hemodynamic measurements and that there was no significant difference in hemodynamic values following the famotidine infusion as compared with NaCl 0.9% placebo (p greater than 0.05).

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Routine and quantitative EEG analysis in Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome.

Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (GdlT) is a neurobehavioral disorder, with a reportedly high frequency of EEG abnormalities. We performed EEGs on 48 consecutive patients with GdlT, and frequency analysis in 26 patients (17 males), and compared the results with those from age- and sex-matched normal controls. Routine 18-channel EEG revealed minimal diffuse nonspecific slowing in only 3 of 48 patients (6%) and in 2 of 26 controls (7.7%). The frequency analysis of the EEG of the 26 GdlT patients and their normal controls showed similar brain activity. We conclude that no significant differences exist between the EEG activity in GdlT patients as compared with that in sex- and age-matched controls in routine as well as in quantitative EEG.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Comparison of serological class II typing with DNA-DR and DNA-DQ typing of kidney donors and recipients.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

HLA-DQ Antigens↗

PubMed1990

Hemodynamic response to pumpless extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Respiratory support by means of arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation driven by systemic arterial pressure, in contrast to pump-driven venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is attractive because of its simplicity and lack of trauma to formed blood elements. Although arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been shown to improve arterial blood gases, useful levels of arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation shunt flow may exert detrimental effects on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics. Therefore the hemodynamic consequences of arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were studied in 11 dogs that were anesthetized, heparinized, and their lungs mechanically ventilated (FIO2 = 0.21) before and after induction of oleic acid pulmonary edema. The data indicate that arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation shunt flows adequate to improve arterial blood gases resulted in significant changes in peripheral vascular resistance (-46%; p less than 0.05), systemic arterial blood pressure (-20%; p less than 0.05), and cardiac output (+110%; p less than 0.05). Dopamine infusion (5 micrograms/kg/min) proved to be more effective than volume expansion (15 ml/kg) in maintaining cardiac output, arterial blood pressure, and arterial blood gases. We conclude that pumpless arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, at flow rates adequate for respiratory support, can adversely alter systemic hemodynamics. However, these effects can be beneficially modulated by a moderate dose of inotropic medication.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Concentrations of apoprotein CII, CIII, and E in total serum and in the apoprotein B-containing lipoproteins, determined by a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

We describe a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that permits direct determination of apoprotein (apo) CII, CIII, and E in total serum as well as in apo B-containing lipoprotein particles. To validate this ELISA technique, we studied several aspects of the assay: its specificity, the influence of the conditions of conservation of plasma and of lipoprotein fractions, the effect of delipidation, and its reproducibility. We measured the concentrations of apo CII, CIII, and E in total serum and in apo B-containing lipoproteins from a pool of normal sera and in sera from 75 healthy subjects. After sequential ultracentrifugation, the content of apo CII, CIII, and E in the major lipoprotein fractions was also determined. Total serum or plasma could be stored at -20 or -50 degrees C for at least six weeks and the isolated lipoprotein fractions for as long as four weeks, which suggests a protective effect of total serum on lipoprotein particle structure. Advantages of this ELISA include (a) its specificity, sensitivity, and reliability; (b) better discrimination than determination of total serum apoprotein; (c) easier application and greater rapidity; and (d) the possibility of application to population screening.

Apolipoproteins B↗

PubMed1990

[Up-date on atherosclerosis].

The major steps of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis are now well defined. Efforts are still required to better characterize: 1. the cellular mechanisms of atherogenesis, without ignoring the limitations of the available experimental models; 2. the complications of human atherosclerosis, ie the events (ulceration, thrombosis) that provoke ischaemic manifestations. Four short reviews on topics of special interest follow: proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells; interactions of blood cells (platelets, leukocytes) with the arterial wall; lipoproteins in the genesis of foam cells; recent progresses in genetic epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases.

Animals↗