Mossbauer spectroscopy of moon samples.

Lunar bulk sample 10084,85 (< 1 mm size dust), and samples from rocks 10017,17 (fine grained, vesicular), 10046,17 (breccia), 10057,59 (fine grained, vesicular, top surface), 10057,60 (fine grained, vesicular, interior), and 10058,24 (medium grained, not vesicular) have been investigated by (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Iron metal and the Fe(2+) minerals ilmenite, pyroxene, troilite, and iron containing glass have been identified. An iron line of sample 10084,85 (originally sealed in nitrogen) showed no significant intensity change when the sample was exposed to air. The antiferromagnetic transition in several lunar ilmenites at 57(0) +/- 2 degrees K corresponds to stoichiometric FeTiO,. Magneticallv separated 10057 showed troilite and somne metallic iron.

Treatment of vasculitic leg ulcers in connective tissue disease with iloprost.

Leg ulcers are a recognised manifestation of cutaneous vasculitis in connective tissue diseases (CTDs) including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Iloprost a stable prostacyclin analogue has been successfully used to treat Raynaud's phenomenon and digital ulcers associated with CTD's. Our aim was to assess iloprost in the treatment of vasculitic leg ulcers in CTD. In this paper we describe eight cases of vasculitic leg ulceration in association with RA and CTD, treated with intravenous iloprost. The iloprost was administered for 6-8 hours daily and continued for 21-28 days. Immunosuppressive therapy was required in three patients with severe necrotising vasculitis (RAnv). Complete ulcer healing was achieved in four patients within 6 weeks of commencing therapy while rapid improvement occurred in the other four patients. This suggests that iloprost may be useful as an adjunct to therapy for vasculitic leg ulcers. A double-blind placebo controlled study of iloprost therapy for RA leg ulcers is under way.

Decrease in P-selectin levels in patients with hypercholesterolaemia and peripheral arterial occlusive disease after lipid-lowering treatment.

At sites of thrombosis and vascular injury, interactions occur among platelets, leucocytes and endothelial cells. Patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) have been shown to have raised total serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides and increased sP-selectin levels when compared with controls. A total of 31 patients with PAOD and hypercholesterolaemia took part in this three-staged study. Soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) levels were significantly lowered after 12 weeks of fluvastatin treatment (157.0 ng/ml versus 113.77 ng/ml, p = 0.01), whereas 12 weeks of placebo treatment had no statistically significant effect on sP-selectin levels (150.0 ng/ml versus 139.4 ng/ml). An unpaired t-test almost reached statistical significance (p = 0.051) when the levels by which sP-selectin fell after 12 weeks of active or placebo treatment were compared. The placebo group was then put onto long-term, active treatment and sP-selectin levels were significantly lowered by fluvastatin when compared to pre-treatment levels (150.0 ng/ml versus 110.0 ng/ml, p = 0.03). By lowering the levels of P-selectin, fluvastatin may not only attenuate atherosclerotic progression but may also decrease the platelet activation associated with PAOD.