Long-term effects of combined immunosuppressive treatment on myasthenic crisis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We studied the long-term crisis-preventing effect of combined prednisolone-azathioprine (PR-AZA) treatment in myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: Case-control study with a median follow-up of 64 months in the treated group, and 80 months in the non-treated group. Sixty-nine patients with episodes of myasthenic crisis (MC) were treated and followed prospectively in 1990-2004. Twenty-seven patients had MC between 1990 and 1996, and were not treated with immunosuppressants on long-term. Long-term PR-AZA treatment was introduced in another 42 patients, who developed MC in 1997-2004. The difference in the frequency of repeated MCs between the treated and the non-treated group during long-term follow-up was investigated. As secondary end-points, we analyzed the number of admittances to the ICU; the number of mechanical ventilation episodes; the duration of ICU treatment; the characteristics of the applied treatment; and the functional outcome of the patients 1 month after the onset of the crisis. RESULTS: Recurrent MCs occurred in 74% of the non-treated and 19% of the treated group (P < 0.001). The number of ICU admissions (P = 0.005) and mechanical ventilation events (P = 0.002) were also reduced. The highly significant MC preventing effect of PR-AZA was evident after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: After the initial 6 months of therapy, PR-AZA is effective in preventing MC.

Optical feshbach resonance using the intercombination transition.

We report control of the scattering wave function by an optical Feshbach resonance effect using ytterbium atoms. The narrow intercombination line (1S0-3P1) is used for efficient control as proposed by Ciurylo et al. [Phys. Rev. A 71, 030701(R) (2005)10.1103/PhysRevA.71.030701]. The manipulation of the scattering wave function is monitored with the change of a photoassociation rate caused by another laser. The optical Feshbach resonance is especially efficient for isotopes with large negative scattering lengths such as 172Yb, and we have confirmed that the scattering phase shift divided by the wave number, which gives the scattering length in the zero energy limit, is changed by about 30 nm.

Determination of the s-wave scattering length and the C6 van der Waals coefficient of 174Yb via photoassociation spectroscopy.

We report photoassociation spectroscopy of 174Yb for the 1S(0)-1P1 transition at 1 microK, where only the s-wave scattering state contributes to the spectra. The wave function of the s-wave scattering state is obtained from the photoassociation efficiency, and we determine that the C6 potential coefficient is 2300+/-250 a.u. and the s-wave scattering length is 5.53+/-0.11 nm. Based on these parameters, we discuss the scattering properties of s- and d-wave states.

Spontaneous splitting of a quadruply charged vortex.

We studied the splitting instability of a quadruply charged vortex both experimentally and theoretically. The density defect, which is a signature of the vortex core, is experimentally observed to deform into a linear shape. The deformed defect is theoretically confirmed to be an array of four linearly aligned singly charged vortices. The array of vortices rotates and precesses simultaneously with different angular velocities. The initial state of the system is not rotationally symmetric, which enables spontaneous splitting without external perturbations.

The effects of vitamin E on tissue oxidation in nephrotoxic (anti-glomerular basement membrane) nephritis.

The effects of vitamin E on tissue oxidation, kidney function and morphology were studied in rats with nephrotoxic nephritis (NTN). Thirty-six nephritic animals received no treatment (group 1), while 36 were treated with vitamin E (group 2). Twenty-four hours after the administration of anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody, sulfhydryl-containing renal protein was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (0.70 +/- 0.16 and 1.08 +/- 0.06 mmol/100 g kidney tissue, respectively), suggesting a free oxygen radical scavenging effect of vitamin E in group 2. The difference was similar on day 14. The creatinine clearance was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 on day 1 (40 +/- 30 and 204 +/- 60 microliter/min per 100 g body weight, respectively). The protein excretion was initially high in both groups, but a significant decrease was detected in group 2 relative to group 1 on day 14 (25 +/- 18 and 92 +/- 38 mg/24 h, respectively). The morphological changes were less severe in group 2. Vitamin E treatment did not alter any of the above values significantly in healthy animals. The release of oxygen free radicals in NTN might play an important role in the pathogenesis, which can be influenced by free radical scavengers through changes in kidney function and morphology.

Cerebrospinal fluid gamma-aminobutyric acid and homovanillic acid in depressive disorders.

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) levels were determined in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of hospitalized patients suffering from depression and in a control group. Both mean CSF GABA and HVA levels in the patients with depression were significantly lower than those of the control group (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.01, respectively). No positive correlation was found between the changes in CSF GABA and HVA levels in the patients with depression. The Hamilton Rating score in these depressed patients, age, and sex showed no correlation to CSF GABA levels. It is suggested that decreased activity in the central GABAergic and dopaminergic system may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression.