ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the specificity of sleep problems in children with autism and further explore the currently unclear association between sleep problems and daytime behaviour. METHODOLOGY: The Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) group consisted of 31 children with autism and 7 children with Asperger's Disorder ranging in age from 44 to 152 months. The control group consisted of 36 children ranging in age from 63 to 171 months. The children were matched on age and gender, and group-matched on IQ level. A sleep diary was completed by parents over a 2-week period, in addition to several behaviour questionnaires. RESULTS: Results showed that children in the PDD group exhibited qualitatively and quantitatively different sleep patterns to nonautistic control children. CONCLUSIONS: The findings were discussed in light of current literature concerning circadian rhythm dysfunction, social difficulties, and abnormal melatonin levels in children with autism.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/complications , Child Behavior Disorders/complications , Sleep Wake Disorders/complications , Autistic Disorder/physiopathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests , Sleep , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
A 43-year-old woman was hospitalized for fulminant pericarditis. During diagnostic work-up, an as yet unknown bronchial carcinoma was detected. In the pericardial exudate Legionella pneumophila serogroup 3 was demonstrated by direct fluorescent antibody technique and by culture. In a lung biopsy L. pneumophila serogroup 3 was found, too. Using an antigen-ELISA for L. pneumophila serogroup 1, antigenuria was demonstrated. In cases of pericarditis negative for common bacterial pathogens, all diagnostic tests for legionellae, e.g. culture, antigen detection in pericardial, pleural effusion and urine and antibody detection should be included in the diagnostic programme.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Bronchogenic/complications , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/complications , Legionella/isolation & purification , Legionnaires' Disease/microbiology , Lung Neoplasms/complications , Pericarditis/microbiology , Adult , Female , Humans , Legionella/classification , Legionella/pathogenicity , Legionnaires' Disease/complications , Legionnaires' Disease/diagnosis , Pericarditis/complications , Pericarditis/diagnosis , SerotypingABSTRACT
The erythrocyte membrane was characterized with regard to its alteration of different degrees. A very important process of the membrane alteration is the expression of IgG receptor sites, which is connected with the binding of autologous IgG at the membrane. Several detection methods for membrane bound IgG were described: immunocytochemical techniques (Anti IgG--Anti Ferritin-sandwich technique, Anti IgG-Protein A-Gold- and the Silver enhancement technique), Antiglobulin agglutination test (Coombs test) and erythrocyte-macrophage test. Moreover, the topo-optical toluidine blue reaction and the ultra-histochemical NAD(H) oxidase reaction were checked to characterize the erythrocyte-macrophage interaction. Finally, the microvesiculation is understood as special form of the erythrocyte membrane disintegration, which is connected with a remodelling of an intact plasmalemma. The findings presented here summarize the fact that the membrane associated IgG regulates an immune-signal for the elimination of the erythrocytes in the Reticulo-Histiocytic-System in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, the structural integrity of the erythrocyte plasmalemma is the code for the cell life span.
Subject(s)
Erythrocyte Membrane/ultrastructure , Animals , Endocytosis , Erythrocyte Aging , Erythrocyte Membrane/immunology , Freeze Etching , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Macrophages/physiology , Microscopy, Electron , Phagocytosis , Receptors, Immunologic/analysisABSTRACT
During physiologic aging, erythrocytes (RBC) mainly loose membrane as shown by biochemical investigations. The most likely reason for a such loss would be the pinch off of RBC-microvesicles. The detection of RBC-microvesicles generated in vivo is rendered more difficult because of the relatively small amount of vesiculation processes under physiologic conditions accompanied by the fast phagocytosis of RBC-microvesicles in the reticulo-histiocytic system. The latter has been shown after the intravenous injection of heat-induced RBC-microvesicles. Investigations of spleens resulted in the case of PHZ-treatment, up till now in a clear demonstration of RBC-microvesicles. The result of microvesiculation in the PHZ-model led to the conclusion, that also rigid, naturally aged RBC could pinch off microvesicles in physiologic narrows of the blood flow like in the spleen.
