On the "absoluteness" of category and magnitude scales of pain.

The concept of "absolute scaling" (Zwislocki & Goodman, 1980) implies that direct judgments of sensory magnitude not only reflect the relative positions of the stimuli being judged, but also permit us to assess level differences in sensation. In order to explore this notion for different scaling methods, in the present investigation we compared magnitude estimation with category partitioning, a verbally anchored categorization procedure, in scaling painful pressure stimuli covering different intensity ranges. The results indicate that when the same stimulus range was presented after 1 week, both methods appeared to be highly reliable, with category partitioning faring somewhat better than magnitude estimation. When the stimulus range was unobtrusively changed between sessions, both methods reflected the within-subjects shift in absolute level. When two different sets of subjects judged the slightly different stimulus ranges, both methods resulted in scale values consistent with absolute scaling, though only category partitioning was sensitive enough to differentiate the two stimulus ranges. The results are discussed in the context of different possibilities of anchoring direct scaling methods in order to obtain "absolute" level information.

[Exogenous allergic asthma following pectin exposure--a new occupational allergen]. / Exogen-allergisches Asthma nach Pektin-Exposition--ein neues Berufsallergen.

In a 51-year-old male worker, workplace-related dyspnoea in the sense of bronchial asthma, was observed. On the basis of the medical history, the results of serology, inhalatory provocation and histamine release tests, despite a negative skin test, pectins were established to be the precipitating substances; in experiments on animals (Wistar rats), the instillation of pectins led to the development of bronchiolitis. An exogenous, allergic asthma following exposure to pectin may be considered to have been proven.

[Detection of pulmonary hypertension in patients with local circumscribed scleroderma]. / Nachweis pulmonaler Hypertonie bei Patienten mit lokal begrenzter Sklerodermie.

In three patients with local circumscribed sclerodermia (duration of the disorder 6 months to 3 years), a latent or manifest pulmonary hypertension of the precapillary type in the presence of otherwise unremarkable lung function, radiological and ergometric data, was observed. The pulmonary involvement in this disease would appear to have a relatively early onset.

[Experimental pain-induction methods in the systematic study of human pain: quality criteria.]. / Experimentelle Schmerizinduktion im algesimetrischen Humanversuch.

The aim of this investigation has been to test in humans the reliability and validity of three painful stimuli, i.e, mechanical pressure, a modified submaximum-effort tourniquet technique, and the cold pressure test. Twenty-four untrained subjects (twelve females, twelve males) volunteered in the experiments and, after a trial session were presented with four runs of these three noxious stimuli within 36 h. They assessed the painfulness using a direct scaling technique (category subdividing procedure). It was shown that all pain-induction methods gave reliable results (Cronbach's alpha>-0.90). Significant intercorrelations between the results of the application of mechanical pressure and ischemia support the validity of these two stimuli. Stimulation by cold, on the other hand, did not reveal such coherence. Repeated mechanical stimulation caused sensitization that did not occur with ischemia or cold. There were no significant differences whether the experiments were performed in the morning or in the evening. Experimental pain induction either by mechanical pressure or by ischemia judged in accordance with the category subdividing procedure produce reliable and valid results; the methods are easily applicable and economic.

[Immunoprint technic: a new method for planned production of allergen-specific monoclonal antibodies]. / Immunoprinttechnik: ein neuer Weg zur gezielten Herstellung von allergenspezifischen monoklonalen Antikörpern.

Working on the isolation of allergens from crude pollen extracts we were looking for a simple method to produce monoclonal antibodies (mab) specific for a major allergen of cultivated rye (S. cereale) with an isoelectric point (pl) of 5.9. We used immunization with allergen isolated from nitrocellulose blots. Allergen was obtained by isoelectric focusing (IEF) of a rye pollen extract followed by immunoprint and detection of allergen bound to nitrocellulose by a monoclonal antibody (mab). Fusion with myeloma cell line P3X63Ag8.U1 led to production of 7 different mab specific for the protein with pl 5.9. The method seems to be a simple way to produce mab specific for a certain component of a crude protein mixture as a pollen extract.

[The correspondence between pain stimulus and pain sensation.]. / Zur Korrespondenz von Schmerzreiz und Schmerzerleben.

The relationship between painful pressure stimuli and induced pain intensity was examined. For experimental pain stimulation in 26 subjects, randomized local pressure on the middle phalanxes of fingers II-IV was used (pressure area 2.56 mm(2), six different pressure levels, three different pressure times). The induced pain intensity was measured by the category splitting procedure. Our results demonstrate that the pain intensity is proportional to the logarithm of the pressure stimulus. This finding is predicted by Fechner's law. The intraindividual and interindividual deviations are normally distributed. The retest reliability between measurements in the morning and in the evening amount to 0.98. Thus, the procedure can be used to objectify the pain intensity experienced.

Analysis of rye pollen (Secale cereale) allergens using patients' IgE, immunoprint, Western Blot and monoclonal antibodies.

Rye pollen (Secale cereale) was investigated by Immunoprint and Western Blot analysis. Using Immunoprint, more than 30 proteins could be shown to be allergens in terms of their IgE binding, and 9 were determined as major allergens. In Western Blot 17 allergens were discovered, 3 of them major allergens. 4 monoclonal antibodies raised against a pollen extract of 6 grasses showed cross-reactivity to rye pollen, thus indicating common epitopes. 1 of 3 monoclonal antibodies produced against an extract of rye pollen was only reacting to this pollen. Looking at the overall binding pattern of the 7 monoclonal antibodies, they showed partial identity to patients' IgE in Immunoprint and Western Blot. The possibility of defining epitopes using preparative isoelectric focusing and monoclonal antibodies is discussed.

[Lateral asymmetry of the human pain sensitivity.]. / Die laterale Asymmetrie der menschlichen Schmerzempfindlichkeit.

In repeated clinical studies a preponderance of pain syndromes on the left side of the body has frequently been observed. Experimental studies in humans revealed a lower pain threshold on the left, nondominant side. On the other hand, some studies do not confirm this lateralization. Since pain threshold is not a very valid measure of pain sensitivity in the range beyond threshold, and since clinical studies are limited by simply counting the incidence of the pain syndromes, we investigated whether a significant lateralization of pain sensitivity exists in the entire range beyond pain threshold. Handedness and gender were included as factors. For experimental pain stimulation in 24 subjects three different methods were used: local pressure on the middle phalanxes, a modified submaximal effort tourniquet test, and submerging the hands into cold water. For pain measurement beyond threshold we used the category splitting procedure (Heller).All three methods of stimulation produced corresponding results. Lefthanded subjects showed decreased pain sensitivity on the left side, right-handed subjects on the right side. This was true for the total range of pain sensitivity. For pain induced by pressure, lateral asymmetry increased with pain intensity, for the other two methods it was constant. Lateral asymmetry was found in all subjects, but significant differences could only be demonstrated in female Ss. It is concluded that both gender and handedness contribute to lateral asymmetry of pain sensitivity in man.

Stabilisation of human interferon beta synthesis in Escherichia coli by zinc ions.

Human interferon beta synthesized in Escherichia coli is unstable and toxic for the bacterial cell. Zinc ions are able to stabilise interferon beta in E. coli probably by inhibiting the action of cell internal proteinase(s) which affect the half-life of this foreign protein. As a result up to one order of magnitude more active IFN-beta can be detected in Zn2+-treated E. coli cells.