[Traumatic rupture of the pectoralis major tendon--a case report]. / Traumatische Ruptur des Musculus pectoralis major--ein Fallbericht.

A 49-year-old male athlete sustained a complete rupture of the pectoralis major muscle while bench pressing. The inferior and the superior border of the clavicular lamina and the sternal lamina were fixed with mattress sutures. After that transosseous reinsertion via drill holes (no suture anchors). The lateral rim of both tendons was fixed with Mason-Allen sutures. Final adaption of the distal tendon stump above the reinserted tendon (doubling). Postoperative immobilisation for 3 weeks in Gilchrists sling was followed by active-assistive step-by-step mobilisation. A speedy rehabilitation was planned after 6 weeks, but at this time the patient was doing strength training, swimming, pull-ups and press-ups at his own responsibility. Normal mobility and previous sports activity were achieved in spite of the early and extremely high stress. We assume that the very strong and secure reinsertion technique with 4 mattress sutures, Mason-Allen sutures and doubling of the tendon close to the foot print region may be the reason for the good result in spite of the massive and early loading.

Serum bile acid profile in women during pregnancy and childbed.

Oestrogens produce cholestasis by inhibition of bile acid (BA) transport as well as by inhibition of BA synthesis in the liver. The present work was done to clarify the relevance of altered serum BA profile in 28 healthy pregnant women from the 15th to the 40th weeks of pregnancy with increasing oestrogen serum concentrations in comparison to 6 to 8 weeks after delivery with normalized oestrogen status. For the first time 6 free and 10 taurine- and glycine-conjugated BAs were analysed during the normal pregnancy by HPLC with postcolumn derivatisation and fluorescence detection. The primary BAs cholic (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) as well as their glycine (G-) and taurine (T-) conjugates amount to nearly 70 % of total BAs in serum and were not changed from the 15th to the 40th weeks of pregnancy, but free and G-CDCA increased significantly after delivery. Among the secondary BAs, which were produced in the intestine by bacteria due to dehydroxylation of the primary bile acids CA and CDCA, only taurine-conjugated deoxycholic acid (T-DCA) decreased significantly after delivery. The free BAs, produced by bacteria in the intestine due to deconjugation, were not changed during pregnancy but had doubled in childbed. Some BAs occurred seldom and in small amounts in the serum, but during pregnancy not more frequent than after delivery. Contrary to expectation the increasing oestrogen concentrations did neither enhance total serum bile acids nor change bile acid profile during pregnancy.

American tegumentary leishmaniasis: antigen-gene polymorphism, taxonomy and clinical pleomorphism.

Multi-locus enzyme electrophoresis is the current gold standard for the genetic characterisation of Leishmania. However, this method is time-consuming and, more importantly, cannot be directly applied to parasites present in host tissue. PCR-based methods represent an ideal alternative but, to date, a multi-locus analysis has not been applied to the same sample. This has now been achieved with a sample of 55 neotropical isolates (Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, L. (V.) peruviana, L. (V.) guyanensis, L. (V.) lainsoni and L. (L.) amazonensis), using five different genes as targets, four of which encoded major Leishmania antigens (gp63, Hsp70, H2B and Cpb). Our multi-locus approach strongly supports the current taxonomy and demonstrates a highly robust method of distinguishing different strains. Within L. (V.) braziliensis, we did not encounter so far specific genetic differences between parasites isolated from cutaneous and mucosal lesions. Interestingly, results provided by each of the different antigen-genes in the species considered, were different, suggesting different selective pressures. Our work emphasises the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to study the clinical pleomorphism of leishmaniasis.

[The structure of toxic protein, the mistletoe lectin, at different pH: the study using intrinsic fluorescence method]. / Struktura toksichnogo belka-lektina iz omely-pri razlichnykh pH: issledovanie metodom sobstvennoi fluorestsentsii.

The effects of pH on the conformation of mistletoe lectin I and its isolated A- and B-subunits has been investigated by using the methods of intrinsic fluorescence. By the denaturating action of guanidine hydrochloride and the influence of the quenchers (I-, Cs+, acrylamide) the structural stability of the native protein and its isolated subunits was estimated. Treatment of the protein with the denaturant and quenchers revealed its different structure at pH 7.0 and 4.0. At pH 4.0 tryptophan residues become more accessible to quenchers, positive charge of the surrounding area increases and the protein becomes more stable to the action of denaturant. The structure of the isolated A- and B-chains of mistletoe lectin I differs considerably from that of the whole protein: a) its stability to the action of guanidine hydrochloride is lower; b) it depends on the ionic strength of the solvent; c) it is characterized by increased accessibility of tryptophan residues to quenchers (for B-chain). Differences between the conformations of the isolated chains at pH 7.0 and 4.0 are marked more strongly; moreover, at pH 4.5 the B-chain undergoes structural transition. The possible relationship between structural peculiarities of mistletoe lectin I and the mechanism of its transmembrane transfer is discussed.

Effects of lectin I from mistletoe (ML I) and its isolated A and B chains on human mononuclear cells: mitogenic activity and lymphokine release.

The interaction of lectin I from mistletoe (Viscum album) (ML I) and its isolated A and B chains with mononuclear cells from healthy human donors was investigated with respect to proliferation capacity (mitogenicity) and monokine/lymphokine factor (MSF) production. The factor produced was studied by means of the electrophoretic mobility inhibition assay using guinea pig macrophages as indicator cells. ML I and its B chain exhibited comparable inhibitory effects on the proliferation of mononuclear cells (MNC, lymphocytes) that differed in quantity only. After 72 h the tritiated thymidine incorporation had diminished in comparison to the control over a concentration range from 10(-7) to 10(-11) mol/l (ML I) or from 3 X 10(-7) to 3 X 10(-9) mol/l (B chain), respectively. The ML I was about 30 times more active than the B chain. Moreover, MSF production could be substantiated for the B chain at a concentration of 3 X 10(-8) mol/l. In contrast to the B chain, the A chain stimulated the MNC to blastogenic transformation at concentrations of 3 X 10(-8) and 3 X 10(-9) mol/l. The stimulation index was much lower than after PHA stimulation. The same concentrations induced the production of lymphokine (MSF). The lymphokine activity on the indicator cells could be inhibited by L-fucose. Perhaps both cytotoxicity and lymphocyte stimulation are important for anti-tumor activity after application in vivo.

The in vitro activity of lectin I from mistletoe (ML I) and its isolated A and B chains on functions of macrophages and polymorphonuclear cells.

We investigated the effects of ML I and its isolated chains, A and B, in regard to selected functions of phagocytes (human granulocytes, paraffin-oil stimulated M phi from guinea pigs). On these cells, ML I has no cytotoxic effect between 10(-14) and 10(-8) (trypan blue exclusion and ethidium bromide exclusion). Over the same concentration range, ML I and B chain diminish the negative surface charge of M phi and agglutinate M phi at concentrations greater than or equal to 2 X 10(-8) M (ML I) and greater than or equal to 3 X 10(-7) M (B chain), respectively. The diminishing of the negative surface charge shows two peaks, indicating the existence of two types of receptors on the M phi surface with different affinities for sugar-binding sites. Moreover, the B chain shows a third peak at higher concentrations (3 X 10(-8) M) that could be inhibited by D-galactose (greater than or equal to 10(-4) M). In comparison, the A chain reduces the surface charge at concentrations over 3 X 10(-7) M, but D-galactose has no effect on this. By means of the agarose droplet test, the spontaneous migration of M phi is inhibited in the sequence ML I much greater than B chain greater than A chain. The phagocytic activity of human leukocytes tested with a radiometric phagocytosis technique reveals an increasing effect only for the B chain; ML I and the A chain have no effect. Perhaps the mechanism of the described activities of ML I and its B chain are comparable with the action of lymphokines activating M phi.

[Histamine receptor-bearing lymphocytes. III. Suppression of immune reactions by killing of histamine receptor-bearing lymphocytes with a conjugate of histamine and the A chain of mistletoe lectin I]. / Histaminrezeptor-tragende Lymphozyten. III. Suppression von Immunreaktionen nach Abtöten Histaminrezeptor-tragender Lymphozyten durch ein Konjugat aus Histamin und der A-Kette des Mistellektins I.

Conjugates of the A-chain of the mistletoe lectin I and histamine but not A-chain per se inhibit the capacity of spleen cells of the mouse to induce antibody response or graft-versus-host reaction by 90%. The conjugates killed 27% of the spleen cells, 60% of the T-, and 15% of the B-lymphocytes. The receptors for histamine could be shown to be of the H2-type, because only H2-antagonists inhibited the toxic influence of the conjugates. The results suggest the hypothesis that not only suppressor cells but at least the majority of the immunocompetent cells bear receptors for histamine. The A-chain-histamine conjugate represents an "affinotoxin" which is cytotoxic only after affinity binding on receptors of the target cell.

Differences in toxicity and antigenicity between mistletoe lectin I and viscotoxin A 3.

In contrast to mistletoe lectin I (ML I), viscotoxin A 3 does not inhibit protein synthesis in cell-free systems. From the immunological studies it is concluded that ML I and viscotoxin do not share identical structural domains.

The toxic A-chain of mistletoe lectin I: isolation and its effect on cell-free protein synthesis.

The reduction of Sepharose bound mistletoe lectin I (ML I) is a convenient method for preparing A- and B-chains under mild conditions. The B-chain represents the D-galactose binding moiety. The A-chain shows a significant dose-dependent inhibition of protein synthesis in cell-free systems from rat liver and rabbit reticulocytes, while pure B-chain preparations do not affect ribosomal translation processes.

Isolation and characterization of a lectin from garden cress (Lepidium sativuum).

A lectin has been isolated from extracts of garden cress (Lepidium sativum) by affinity chromatography on human immunoglobulin-Sepharose. The lectin reacts with human erythrocytes without specificity for the A, B and 0 blood group. Erythrocytes of animal origin are also agglutinated by the lectin. The hemagglutinating activity is abolished by heating the lectin solution at 70 degrees C or by dialysis against strong acid buffers. The hemagglutination reaction is not inhibited by monosaccharides. Lectin-glycoprotein interactions are described and discussed.

Isolation and properties of three lectins from mistletoe (Viscum album L.).

Three lectins have been isolated from an extract of mistletoe (Viscum album) by affinity chromatography on partially hydrolysed Sepharose and human immunoglobulin- Sepharose. The lectins differ in molecular weight and sugar specificity (lectin I, mol.wt. 11500, D-galactose-specific; lectin II, mol.wt. 60000, both D-galactose- and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-specific; lectin III, mol. wt. 50000, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-specific). All three lectins react with human erythrocytes without specificity for the A, B, and O blood groups. In contrast with abrin and ricin the mistletoe lectins cannot be divided into "toxins" and "haemagglutinins".

Radiation-induced anorexia in Syrian hamsters.

The recovery of Syrian hamsters after split dose application (interval 11 days) was studied on the basis of the weight response and of food uptake. Two periods of weight loss and anorexia can be distinguished, an early one immediately after irradiation and a secondary one 6-10 days later. The secondary response is a function of the radiation dose and allows to distinguish survivors from non-survivors, since it is much more pronounced and longer lasting in the latter than in the former. The first response appears not to be influenced by a previous conditioning irradiation.

The lectin from viscum album L. purification by biospecific affinity chromatography.

A lectin from Viscum album which specifically binds to D-galactose was isolated by affinity chromatography on O-lactosyl-, O-galactosyl-polycarylamide or hydrolized sepharose 4 B. Some serological and physicochemical properties of the agglutination are reported.

[Isolation and characterization of mistletoe extracts (Viscum album L.). I. Affinity chromatography of mistletoe extracts on immobilized plasma proteins].

The agglutinating effect of lectin from mistletoe (Viscum album L.) relative to erythrocytes and tumor cells is destroyed or reduced by plasma proteins. There is a competition between lectin receptors of plasma proteins, especially immunoglobulins and erythrocytes, as well as tumor cells. The preparation of insolubilized immunoglobin fractions allows one to separate lectin from the mistletoe extract. There exist chemical connections between the lectin fixed to the adsorbent and part of the toxic components.

Induction of immunological memory in mice by RNA extract.

RNA extract isolated from spleens of mice immunized with lipopolysaccharide from E. coli induced an immunological memory in normal mice. Application of small amounts of corresponding antigen provoked a specific secondary immune response in RNA primed mice.

[Anorexia in rats following protracted whole-body irradiation with low doses]. / Anorexie bei Ratten nach protrahierter Ganzkörperbestrahlung mit niedrigen Dosen

In our experiments, carried out hitherto, concerning the effect of incorporated and radioactive substances, weight behaviour and food uptake have proved to be a sensitive test. With regard to these experiments and the half-life of the radionuclides used, it is reported about trial series in Wistar rats. These rats were applied, with Co-60 gamma irradiation, different whole-body doses protracted over 48 hours. A total of 32 groups of experimental animals (20 animals each) was exposed to irradiation doses of lethal, medium lethal, and sublethal ranges, control and pseudo-irradiation series included. The experiments were carried out under observance of constant irradiation and attitude conditions, night and day changes, as conditioned by the season, included. Even in the inferior sublethal range (12 to 24 R), a significant trend of decreased food uptake is registered. This trend remains for a short period after the end of irradiation, but then it returns to normal conditions. Furthermore, a new decrease with subsequent increase seems to become evident-about ten days after termination of the radiotherapy (especially after several hundred R); report about these items will be made later on.