Complete trunk severance of a motorcyclist by a traffic sign post at a comparably low collision speed.

Traumatic limb amputations and transections of the trunk generally indicate high impact velocities. Complete traumatic severances of the trunk in road accidents however are rarely reported in literature. We describe a case where the trunk of a motorcyclist was completely severed as he hit the post of a traffic sign. Based on the documented end position and damage of the motorcycle, an impact velocity range of 52-80 km/h could be determined for the motorcyclist. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the type and mechanism of injury at this comparatively low collision speed range.

Concentrations of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and 11-nor-9-carboxytetrahydrocannabinol in blood and urine after passive exposure to Cannabis smoke in a coffee shop.

Cannabinoid concentrations in blood and urine after passive exposure to cannabis smoke under real-life conditions were investigated in this study. Eight healthy volunteers were exposed to cannabis smoke for 3 h in a well-attended coffee shop in Maastricht, Netherlands. An initial blood and urine sample was taken from each volunteer before exposure. Blood samples were taken 1.5, 3.5, 6, and 14 h after start of initial exposure, and urine samples were taken after 3.5, 6, 14, 36, 60, and 84 h. The samples were subjected to immunoassay screening for cannabinoids and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-nor-hydroxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-OH), and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH). It could be demonstrated that all volunteers absorbed THC. However, the detected concentrations were rather small. None of the urine samples produced immunoassay results above the cutoff concentration of 25 ng/mL. THC-COOH concentrations up to 5.0 and 7.8 ng/mL before and after hydrolysis, respectively, were found in the quantitative GC-MS analysis of urine. THC could be detected in trace amounts close to the detection limit of the used method in the first two blood samples after initial exposure (1.5 and 3.5 h). In the 6 h blood samples, THC was not detectable anymore. THC-COOH could be detected after 1.5 h and was still found in 3 out of 8 blood samples after 14 h in concentrations between 0.5 and 1.0 ng/mL.

Importance of in-plane anisotropy in the quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnet BaNi2V2O8.

The phase diagram of the quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnet BaNi(2)V(2)O(8) is studied by specific heat, thermal expansion, magnetostriction, and magnetization for magnetic fields applied perpendicular to c. At micro(o)H* approximately 1.5 T, a crossover to a high-field state, where T(N)(H) increases linearly, arises from a competition of intrinsic and field-induced in-plane anisotropies. The pressure dependences of T(N) and H* are interpreted using the picture of a pressure-induced in-plane anisotropy. Even at zero field and ambient pressure, in-plane anisotropy cannot be neglected, which implies deviations from pure Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless behavior.

Treatment with thymic extract TFX for chronic active hepatitis B.

Eighteen patients with biopsy-proven chronic active hepatitis B (CAHB) and a significantly lowered CD4+/CD8+ cell number ratio were treated with thymic factor X (TFX): group I (n = 12) - for 12 months, group II (n = 6) for 6 months. As early as 14 days after starting the treatment a lowering of CD8+ cell numbers with a rise in CD4+/CD8+ cell number ratio were found. These changes continued to progress during the next months and were accompanied by decreased in NK cell numbers with enhancement of NK cell activity. Normalization of the biochemical and immunological parameters occurred after 5-6 months of the treatment. In both groups of patients seroconversion in the HBe system was observed after 9-12 months of the treatment. After two years complete clinical remission persists with normal biochemical and immunological findings and without reversion in the HBe system. The results seem to indicate that TFX has an immunostimulatory action and exerts beneficial effects on the course of CAHB.

[Laboratory and oligobiopsy studies of the liver in patients with psoriasis treated by the combination of Tigason-PUVA-cignoline (RePUVA+C)]. / Laboratoryjne i oligobiopsyjne badania watroby u chorych na luszczyce leczonych metoda skojarzona Tigason-PUVA-cignolina (RePUVA+C).

In 10 patients with generalized psoriasis treated by this method biochemical and histological examinations of liver biopsy specimens were done before and after 60 days of the treatment. In some cases a transient rise of A1AT activity, raised activity of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase were noted. Histological examinations demonstrated slight hepatocellular damage with microfocal necrosis, fatty infiltration of some cells and increase in the structural elements of cytoplasm.

T lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with chronic active hepatitis B virus infection characterized by monoclonal antibodies.

Peripheral blood T lymphocytes and T cell subsets were analyzed in 19 patients with chronic active hepatitis B virus infection. The T cell subpopulations were defined by indirect immuno-fluorescence using monoclonal antibodies, and additionally, natural killer cell activity against K 562 human erythroleukemic cell has also been defined. All investigated patients have possessed nearly identical clinical and biochemical signs of disease, but on the basis of T lymphocyte subpopulations they could be divided into two groups: low CD4/CD8 ratio group and normal or high CD4/CD8 ratio group. Mechanism responsible for such differences remains hypothetical but it seems reasonable to propose different protocol for immunomodulatory treatment of patients in both groups.