No abstract

Optical prisms shift visual space, and through adaptation over time, generate a compensatory realignment of sensory-motor reference frames. In humans, prism-induced lateral shifts of visual space produce a corresponding shift in sound localization. We recently reported that sound localization shifts towards eccentric eye position, approaching approximately 40% of gaze over several minutes. Given that eye position affects sound localization directly, prism adaptation may well reflect contributions of both eye position and sensory adaptation; while the visual world is shifted by the prisms, the eyes must also shift simply to gaze ahead. To test this new concept of prism adaptation, 10 young (18-27 year) adults localized sound targets before and after 4 h of adaptation to base-right or base-left prisms that induced an 11.4 degrees shift left or right, respectively. In separate sessions subjects were exposed to: (1) natural binaural hearing; (2) diotically presented inputs devoid of meaningful spatial cues; or (3) attenuated hearing to simulate hearing loss. These preliminary results suggest that the prism adaptation of auditory space is dependent on two independent influences: (1) the effect of displaced mean eye position induced by the prisms, which occurs without cross-sensory experience; and (2) true cross-sensory learning in response to an imposed offset between auditory and visual space.

Polymorphonuclear (PMN) granulocyte derived neutrophil elastase (NE) is rapidly antagonized by alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1 PI) in vivo. To determine the clinical value of elastase alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor complexes (E-alpha 1 PI) in pleural effusions, fluid samples of 99 patients were examined. Fifty-six had malignant effusions, 30 had non-malignant exudates (pleural protein above 3 g/dl) mainly of inflammatory origin, and 13 patients had low protein transudates (below 3 g/dl) due to congestive heart failure. Nonmalignant exudates showed significantly higher (P less than 0.001) concentrations of E-alpha 1 PI compared with malignant effusions or low protein transudates (P less than 0.001). Malignant exudates secondary to lung cancer were characterized by higher (P less than 0.001) median pleural E-alpha 1 PI concentrations compared to malignant exudates due to primarily extrathoracic malignancies. Total pleural leukocyte counts and pleural neutrophil counts were performed in 68 effusions. By this means no clear-cut differentiation between malignant and nonmalignant exudates seems possible except for marked empyema. In conclusion, E-alpha 1 PI complexes in pleural fluid may better reflect the stage of inflammation of pleural effusions rather than mere pleural leukocyte counts. Low levels of E-alpha 1 PI complexes (less than 75 ng/ml) in pleural exudates with protein values above 3 g/dl are characteristic of malignant exudates. Determination of E-alpha 1 PI in pleural exudates may serve as a sensitive marker of inflammation and useful adjunct to pleural cytology in aspects of differential diagnosis of pleural effusions.

Zusammenfassung: Es wurden drei Methoden zur Bestimmung der Aktivität des placentalen Isoenzyms der alkalischen Phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) im menschlichen Serum verglichen:1. Hitzeinaktivierung bei 65 °C durch 10 Minuten, 2. Differentialinaktivierung mit ,-p-Bromtetramisol und 3. ein immunologischer Präzipitationstest.Die Ergebnisse der drei Methoden korrelieren gut (Korrelationskoeffizienten zwischen 0,973 und 0,982). Für größere Serien oder zur Screeninguntersuchung auf das Vorkommen von ,JRegan-hoenzym" eignet sich die Methode der Differentialinaktivierung mit ,-p-Bromtetramisol wegen der kurzen Analysenzeit und der relativ einfachen Mechanisierbarkeit am besten. Measuring the activity of the placental isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase: 3 methods comparedSummary: Three methods were compared in human serum for determining the activity of the placental isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase: . 1.Heat inactivation at 65 °C for 10 minutes, 2. Differential inactivation with L-p-Brpmotetramisole, and 3. an immunological precipation test.