The use of subcellular fractions to raise anti-lymphocytic serum

Subcellular preparations of mouse thymocytes were compared with respect to their power to raise in rabbits antisera which prolonged the survival of skin homografts. Of the fractions studied thymocyte `membrane' gave the most consistently good results, whereas thymocyte `mitochondria' gave rise to sera which were toxic in high dose. Whole mouse liver homogenate or liver subcellular fractions did not elicit potent antisera. It is concluded that thymocyte `membrane' best fulfils the requirements for an ideal material for immunization thus far studied and provides a convenient starting point for further purification.     

Selective use of perceptual recalibration versus visuomotor skill acquisition

Exposure to laterally displacing prisms is characterized by systematic misreaching in the opposite direction after prisms are removed. Other learning tasks involving altered visuomotor mappings can often be mastered by the subject with minimal resulting aftereffects. One variable that may account for this difference is the nature of the feedback provided to the subject: during studies of prism exposure, subjects usually view the hand itself, whereas in many studies of visuomotor learning, subjects view a computer-generated representation of the hand position or movement. We compared the use of actual feedback of the hand with computer-generated representational feedback of its position during exposure to laterally displacing prisms. In the actual feedback condition (ACT), a light on the fingertip was illuminated immediately at the end of each reach. In the representational feedback condition (REP), a computer-generated spot of light was displayed to indicate the exact position of the fingertip at the end of each reach. Whereas the rate and magnitude of error correction were the same in both conditions, only the ACT condition produced the large adaptive aftereffect typically observed after prism exposure. These results suggest that the perception of a physical coincidence between the feedback source and the hand may be a key factor in determining whether adaptation is accomplished through perceptual recalibration or visuomotor skill acquisition.     

Some problems in the use of the Coulter counter for erythrocyte total counts and volume distribution

Normal erythrocytes were subject to swelling and some haemolysis when suspended in a NaCl-formaldehyde-Na(2)EDTA diluent of pH 4.9 for routine blood-cell counting in the Coulter counter. A phosphate-buffered saline of pH 7.4 was substituted and has proven satisfactory for total erythrocyte counts.Polyvinyltoluene latex was unsuitable for volume calibration of the counter, because of aggregation of the particles in saline. Ragweed pollen grains gave a calibration factor that agreed well with that for fresh erythrocytes. Recent batches of Dade's Erythro-Trol (a suspension of fixed erythrocytes) were satisfactory for both total counts and volume calibration.     

Selective replicating viral vectors : potential for use in cancer gene therapy

Treatment of cancer is limited by toxicity to normal tissue with standard approaches (chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy). The use of selective replicating viral vectors may enable the targeting of gene-modified viruses to malignant tissue without toxic effect. Studies of these vectors have demonstrated tumour-selective replication and minimal evidence of replication in normal tissue. The most advanced clinical results reported involve gene-modified adenoviral vectors. Several completed, histologically confirmed responses to local/regional injection have been induced, particularly in recurrent squamous cell carcinoma involving the head and neck region. Dose limiting toxicity above 10(13) viral particles per injection has been observed. Anti-tumour effect is demonstrable in animal models without evidence of significant toxicity when these vectors are used alone or in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or as gene delivery vehicles. Preliminary clinical trials, particularly with E1B-deleted adenoviruses, report evidence of clinical activity in comparison with expected historical responses. Enhancement in replication selectivity to malignant tissue is also demonstrated preclinically and clinically with an E1B-deleted adenovirus utilising a prostate-specific antigen promoter. Other selective replicating viral vectors such as herpes simplex virus and vaccinia virus have also been explored clinically and suggest evidence of activity in patients with cancer. Modifications may one day enable more aggressive use of these new and exciting therapeutics as systemic gene delivery vehicles.     

Determination of erythrocyte sorbitol

An increase in the intra-cellular concentrations of sorbitol can be responsible, at least in part, for certain long term complications of diabetes. Since the erythrocyte concentration of this polyol is a good indicator of that of other cells, we propose a simple, rapid enzymatic assay technique for red blood cells. The results already obtained reveal a significant difference between the erythrocyte sorbitol concentration in non-diabetic subjects and that in diabetic patients.     

Induction of persistent autoimmune haemolytic anaemia in mice by combined use of rat erythrocyte preimmunization and chronic GVHR

Female F1 mice (BDF1: C57BL/6 x DBA/2, BCF1: C57BL/6 x C3H/HeN, BBF1: C57BL/6 x BALB/c) were preimmunized with rat erythrocytes and then received splenic T cells from parental female C57BL/6 mice injected with hydrocortisone acetate before killing. In BDF1 and BCF1 mice, direct Coombs' test (DCT) positivity persisted for more than 4 months in almost all mice. They also showed haematological sign of anaemia, and the survival of infused 51Cr-labelled parental C57BL/6 erythrocytes was reduced. In BBF1 mice, DCT positivity returned to negative within 2 months. Autoantibodies were eluted from DCT-positive erythrocytes and their specificities were examined. They were capable of binding equally well to erythrocytes from all strains of mice tested, including the donor mice. They also cross-reacted with rat erythrocytes but not with sheep, rabbit or human erythrocytes. Isotypes of the autoantibodies eluted were also examined. Interestingly, isotypes of the autoantibodies obtained from individual mice were confined to one or other subclass of IgG isotype: IgG1, IgG2a or IgG2b.     

骨科金属内固定物置入后患者血清C-反应蛋白和红细胞沉降率的变化

背景：骨科修复手术大部分会使用内置物,这种方法虽然会为患者带来好的治疗效果,但同时会使患者发生感染。而血清C-反应蛋白和红细胞沉降率是临床上便于检测炎症的相关指标。 目的：观察骨科内置物置入后患者血清C-反应蛋白和红细胞沉降率的变化。 方法：回顾性分析山东省临朐县人民医院骨科2012年10月至2014年10月收治的100例安置金属内置物患者的临床资料,其中36例置入髓内钉,34例置入人工关节,30例置入固定钢板。根据置入后是否感染分为两组,无感染组52例,感染组48例。内置物置入后第1,3,7,14,21天检测两组患者血清C-反应蛋白水平及红细胞沉降率,同时结合其他化验结果、切口情况以及患者体温来判断是否发生感染,总结并分析疾病进展情况,为抗生素合理应用提供可靠依据。 结果与结论：两组患者置入后第1天血清C-反应蛋白、红细胞沉降率相比差异有显著性意义(t=3.43,P < 0.05;t=3.78,P < 0.05);两组患者置入后第3天血清C-反应蛋白、红细胞沉降率相比差异有显著性意义(t=3.35,    P < 0.05;t=3.68,P < 0.05);两组患者置入后第7天血清C-反应蛋白、红细胞沉降率相比差异有显著性意义(t=3.28,P < 0.05;t=3.54,P < 0.05);两组患者置入后第14天血清C-反应蛋白、红细胞沉降率相比差异有显著性意义(t=2.56,P < 0.05;t=3.02,P < 0.05);两组患者置入后第21天血清C-反应蛋白、红细胞沉降率相比差异无显著性意义(t=1.76,P > 0.05;t=1.98,P > 0.05)。提示骨科内置物置入后应密切观察患者血清C-反应蛋白及红细胞沉降率变化,同时需结合切口情况、临床体温等资料综合分析判断是否出现了内置物置入后感染,从而制定有效的修复对策,为临床合理治疗及预防提供可靠依据。 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：生物材料;骨生物材料; 口腔生物材料; 纳米材料; 缓释材料; 材料相容性;组织工程     

Analysis of differing patterns of cross-reactivity of honeybee and yellow jacket venom-specific IgE: use of purified venom fractions

Prior studies of sera from insect sting-allergic patients have analyzed the relationship of coexisting honeybee venom- and yellow jacket venom-specific IgE. Radioallergosorbent (RAST)-inhibition tests with these venoms revealed four different patterns of activity. In this present study, purified fractions prepared from these venoms were used to analyze these varying patterns. The hyaluronidases of yellow jacket venom and honeybee venom showed extensive cross-reaction. The phospholipases from these venoms showed minimal cross-reactivity; antigen 5 was restricted to yellow jacket venom. There was a high molecular weight component in yellow jacket venom with immunologic properties similar to honeybee venom acid phosphatase. Sera from individual patients showed quantitative and qualitative differences in the reactions to the major components of both venoms. The differences in the RAST-inhibition patterns in patients with elevated levels of both honeybee venom- and yellow jacket venom-specific IgE are accounted for by these differences as well as by differences in the cross-reactivity between the individual components.     

Antigenicity of rat erythrocyte glycophorins

The relationship between rat red blood cell (RBC) glycophorins and the antigens recognised by anti-rat RBC antibodies was examined. Initially, murine monoclonal antibodies specific for surface epitopes on whole rat RBCs were tested for their reactivity with RBC membranes on Western blots and two were found which reacted with blotted antigens. These antibodies recognised two bands corresponding to the major PAS-stainable bands of rat RBC membranes (i.e., the glycophorins) and a number of minor bands, thus demonstrating that the bands are antigenically related. This band-pattern was remarkably similar to that obtained with mouse anti-rat RBC serum. Digestion with neuraminidase altered the electrophoretic mobility of most of the bands, providing additional evidence that they are sialoglycoproteins, although sialic acid was shown not to contribute to their antigenicity. The glycophorin nature of the major antigens was verified by reelectrophoresis and blotting of bands excised from SDS gels, which showed that they were interconvertible monomeric and dimeric forms of the same polypeptide chain. It is suggested that rat RBC glycophorins are a related family of sialoglycoproteins with the high molecular weight members being formed by dimerization of five lower molecular weight polypeptide chains in various combinations.