The detection of raised immunoglobulin and the presence of oligoclonal bands (OCBs) on electrophoresis of multiple sclerosis (MS) CSF has been a useful diagnostic test, but a universal antigen to which these MS antibodies are directed has yet to be found. Potentially immunogenic heat shock proteins (HSPs) are preferential expressed in vitro in human oligodendrocytes compared with other glia, and in situ in oligodendrocytes found within the plaques of MS. Immunoreactivity directed against HSPs might therefore contribute to the immune-mediated demyelinating process found in MS. We examined this possibility by quantitatively (ELISA) measuring antibodies directed against a recombinant human HSP (HSP60) in CSF from 18 MS patients, and compared them with eight patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, 12 with demyelinating peripheral neuropathies, and 59 with other neurologic diseases. Immunoblotting was used to confirm the specificity of the antibodies for binding to HSP60. We found a statistically significant correlation between antibody titers to HSP60 and the presence of OCBs in CSF. These results support the notion that HSP expression in the CNS, such as that observed in MS, may be immunogenic, leading to localized HSP antibody secretion. Such HSP-directed immunoreactivity could play a role in the pathogenesis of MS and other immune-mediated disorders of the nervous system.

Letters are processed differently from other shapes in a visual search task where subjects have to decide whether or not a predesignated target symbol is present in a subsequently presented string of five such symbols. If the M-shaped letter search function, which relates correct reaction time to target position, reflects an efficient strategy used in word recognition, it should be produced by skilled readers of English who also read a logographic script. A cross-linguistic study of biscriptal Mandarin/English and monoscriptal English readers (Expt 1) provided evidence of the generality of a basic search strategy for alphabetic targets. Hand-of-response affected the search function in an asymmetric fashion for both groups of readers, and although case differences between target and string increased reaction times overall, the classic M-shaped function remained. In Expt 2, we used a within-subjects design and examined the extent to which biscriptal Mandarin/English readers produced different search functions for letters and logographs. Consistent with expectation, these readers showed an M-shaped function for letters but a more U-shaped function for logographs. Hand-of-response exerted a consistent effect for both types of material. Taken together, these experiments support the view that skilled readers develop script-specific procedures.

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This pattern cannot be attributed to the experience of major heart surgery or to cardiac disease. Nor can it be explained by differences in central processing of stress. Correspondingly the changed hemodynamic response to the Stroop test after cardiac transplantation evidently does not affect patients' emotional responses. The hemodynamic findings are consistent with an increased reliance on hormonal rather than neuronal hemodynamic regulation after cardiac transplantation.

Surgical centers that treat esophageal cancer need to create a simple and easy method to feed patients who suffer from complete occlusion of the upper alimentary tract. The purpose of this work is to present our own modification of a laparoscopic feeding gastrostomy, which is based on our own experience and previously published methods. Our system requires only two trocars and can be done under general or local anesthesia. It consists of exteriorizing a stomach fragment through a 12-mm opening in the skin under video control. The newly created gastrostomy forms a channel in the abdominal wall that is long narrow and enough to allow a 24-F catheter to be inserted without serious leakage. The method was applied satisfactorily to 11 patients, with a mean observation time of 3.5 months. It offers the patient an ongoing nutrition gastrostomy for early use. After 3 weeks, the gastrostomy can be used on a temporary basis by inserting the catheter during the feeding time and afterward withdrawing it with the gauze pad still attached. We have found this procedure to be a simple, easy, and cost-effective alternative to supplying nutrition to patients with complete upper alimentary tract stenosis. Moreover, it is superior to previously described methods.