Antibodies against gangliosides isolated from small tumour and nervous tissue specimens can be reliably detected in serum samples by the ganglioside electrotransfer technique without the need for previous purification steps. After separation by high performance thin layer chromatography gangliosides are transferred from silica gel plates to hydrophobic polyvinylidene difluoride membranes. These membranes are highly suitable for immunostaining. The use of a 15-slit device allows simultaneous testing of up to 15 serum samples. Samples of serum from 39 patients with clear-cell carcinoma of the kidney, mammary carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma and neurological disorders together with samples from healthy controls were tested for anti-ganglioside antibodies from various tissues.

Antibodies↗

PubMedDate not supplied

GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infections in traumatologic outpatients, chronic non-A-E hepatitis and extrahepatic malignancies.

GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) is a recently discovered flavivirus of still unknown pathogenic relevance. We examined traumatologic outpatients to determine GBV-C/HGV viremia for further epidemiological studies, as blood donors hitherto used as controls represent healthy individuals without risk factors. Anti-GBV-C/HGV antibodies were detectable in 13.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.3-18.2) and GBV-C/HGV RNA was detectable in 4.5% (95% CI 2.4-8.2) of the outpatients. In chronic non-A-E hepatitis patients GBV-C/HGV viremia was detectable at a significantly higher level of 16.1% (95% CI 6.1-34.5), while the prevalence of anti-GBV-C/HGV antibodies was 12.9% (95% CI 4.2-30.8). The rate of GBV-C/HGV viremia in patients with malignant diseases (different types of tumors, blood recipients were excluded) was 12.5% (95% CI 8.4-18.1), a significant elevation compared to traumatologic outpatients. The seroprevalence in the tumor group was 22.1% (95% CI 16.7-28.6), also significantly elevated. Thus, there are two messages. Firstly, testing for GBV-C/HGV may be a useful extension of the diagnostic procedure of viral hepatitis. Secondly, common risk factors or etiologic relations of GBV-C/HGV and extrahepatic malignancies should be discussed.

Adult↗

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Are we witnessing the disappearance of catatonic schizophrenia?

The decrease in the frequency of diagnosed catatonic subtypes among schizophrenic disorders as a whole during the last 50 years has long been regarded as an established fact. Until now the factors responsible for this development have been under discussion. As it is not clear if there is a true decrease or an ostensible one due to other factors such as changed diagnostic habits or neuroleptic treatment, we examined 174 consecutively admitted schizophrenic patients from three different psychiatric institutions diagnosed according to DSM-IV and Leonhard's criteria. It turned out that-depending on the diagnostic system-the rates of diagnosed catatonias were 10.3% (DSM-IV) and 25.3% (Leonhard's criteria). Comparison of the two original Leonhard cohorts (1938 to 1968, 1969 to 1986) with our own (1994 to 1999) shows a decrease in the frequency of catatonias from 35% to 25%, which-albeit statistically significant-is much less pronounced than in studies that used a narrower definition of catatonia. Here, besides sociocultural developments, the use of neuroleptics seems to effect the decrease in the frequency of catatonias in two ways: on one hand, they cause a decrease of hyperkinesia, excitement, or impulsivity; while on the other hand, they themselves produce motor abnormalities like rigidity, effects that favor the attribution of motoric symptoms to neuroleptics.

Adult↗

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Changes in renal uptake of Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP) in stone-forming rats.

A pyridoxine (vitamin B6)-deficient diet in rats was used as a model of early renal lithiasis to find out if "stone-formers" could be identified from control animals by differences in the biodistribution of Tc-99m MDP. The mean renal uptake of this agent at 3 hours was about 70% higher in test animals than in controls, but there was considerable overlap between the upper limits of the normal range and lower values in "stone-formers." If these results were valid for humans, the metabolic abnormality in males with early stone-forming disease could not be identified with certainty by in vivo measurements of Tc-99m MDP renal uptake alone. However, the skeletal uptake of MDP in the "stone-forming" animals was depressed by 28 to 35%, compared with control rats. Consequently, the renal to skeletal MDP concentration ratio was invariably elevated in "stone-formers" beyond the 95 percentile normal range. Unexpectedly, 76% of the pyridoxine-deficient animals had a higher accumulation of MDP in the myocardium than the upper limit of the normal range. The pyridoxine-deficient diet induced no remarkable early changes in the biodistribution or renal clearance of I-131 Hippuran.

Animals↗

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Old wine in new bottles? Stability and plasticity of the contents of schizophrenic delusions.

A number of recent case reports published during the last 20 years described a quick inclusion of new technologies and cultural innovations into schizophrenic delusions which led many of the authors to the conclusion that the 'Zeitgeist' is creating new delusional contents. On the other hand, long-term comparisons and comparative transcultural studies on delusions showed, despite a certain degree of variability, a stability of delusional themes over longer periods of time. Combining anthropological and historical theories of the development of societies with a differentiated psychopathological approach (Klosterkötter's three-stage model of the formation of schizophrenic delusions), we were able to resolve the problem of the ostensibly divergent results: there are only a few themes of extraordinary anthropological importance for the organization of human relationships which can be found in every epoch and in different cultures (persecution, grandiosity, guilt, religion, hypochondria, jealousy, and love). With the exception of persecution and grandiosity, these themes showed a certain variability over time and between cultures. The 'new' themes, referring to the development of modern technology and the rapid changes of 'cultural patterns' turned out to be only the shaping of the basic delusional themes on the 3rd stage of Klosterkötter's phase model (concretization).

Adult↗

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Product release is not the rate-limiting step during cytochalasin B-induced ATPase activity of monomeric actin.

Under conditions where cytochalasin B induces ATPase activity of monomeric actin (0.3 mM MgCl2, 1 mM EGTA, 30 microns cytochalasin B, 1 mM ATP) the rate constant of the exchange of actin-bound epsilon-ATP for free ATP is about 4-6 times faster than steady state ATPase activity. When a stoichiometric ATP-actin complex is extracted with PCA (single turnover experiment) the apparent rate constant of Pi generation is not faster than steady state ATPase activity. - The experiments suggest that the hydrolysis of actin-bound ATP and not the subsequent release of hydrolysis products is rate-limiting during cytochalasin-induced ATPase activity of actin.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Differentiation in murine mastocytoma induced by macrophage gangliosides.

In the membrane of mouse macrophages two gangliosides were detected which inhibit the division of murine mastocytoma P815 tumor cells. The two gangliosides were incorporated into the cytoplasmatic membrane of mastocytoma cells. The concentration necessary to achieve a complete inhibition of P815 tumor cell division is about 1 microM for both effective gangliosides. Macrophage ganglioside-induced inhibition of cell division is accompanied by morphological changes of the mastocytoma cells. While the cells are rounding, their diameter increases and serotonin and granules appear in the cytoplasm of the enlarged cells. Our findings suggest that macrophage gangliosides may differentiate mastocytoma cells into mast cells.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Selective abolition of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles' calcium releasing mechanisms.

The ability of calcium loaded heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles to specifically respond to the addition of various agents such as caffeine, calcium ions and calmodulin antagonists to rapidly released calcium can largely be diminished by passing the vesicular suspension it 0.3 M sucrose, 0.6 M KCl, 4 mM CaCl2, pH 7.0 through a Sepharose 6B column or by centrifuging it through a sucrose gradient prepared with the same salt medium. Inactivation of calcium release does neither interfere with calcium uptake nor with the unspecific releasing effect caused by the application of high concentrations of calmodulin antagonists.

Animals↗