Effect of feeding peptic digest of soy protein isolate on rat serum cholesterol

Growing rats were fed ad libitum soy protein isolate (SPI) or its peptic (SPI-P) or tryptic digest (SPI-T) for a month and their sera were examined for cholesterol and triglyceride levels and enzyme activities such as cholinesterase, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and alkaline phosphatase. The rats fed SPI-P or SPI-T were inferior in growth to those fed SPI. Similarly, the serum glyceride level was lower in the SPI-P and SPI-T groups than in the SPI group. On the other hand, a significant difference was found in the serum cholesterol level between the SPI-P and SPI or SPI-T groups but not between the SPI and SPI-T groups. A similar tendency was observed for serum GPT and alkaline phosphatase activities, although there were no significant differences among dietary groups in small intestinal enzyme activities. As for the atherogenic index being a risk factor inducing atherosclerosis, the order of its value was SPI-P less than SPI less than SPI-T.     

Duct-associated lymphoid tissue (DALT) of minor salivary glands and mucosal immunity.

Minor salivary glands (MSG) play a substantial role in the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA)-mediated immunity of the oral cavity. There are two possibilities for the induction of this immunity: (i) an explicitly local antigenic stimulus, or (ii) a remote stimulus as part of the so-called 'common mucosal immune system'. This communication is an attempt to consolidate available evidence in support of both possibilities and to address the former in detail. Although there is strong circumstantial evidence supporting the feasibility of MSG functioning as a part of the common mucosal immune system, direct experimental evidence is yet to emerge. On the other hand, there is increasing structural and physiological evidence in support of MSG serving as a local immunological organ. The purely local response is attributed to the presence of MSG duct-associated lymphoid tissue (DALT), which is comparable to gut- or bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT or BALT) in origin, tissue organization and function. DALT is accessible to oral antigens by retrograde passage through MSG ducts. Repeated topical antigenic challenging via the oral mucosa may result in the appearance of interacinar plasma cells carrying specific homologous antibodies in MSG. Gut or enteric priming of the same antigen, by passing the oral mucosa by gastric intubation, need not evoke a remote immune response in MSG. Since DALT is more likely to occur in healthy, young growing individuals, who are less likely to undergo bioptic examination of MSG, it has not yet been documented in humans. The physiologically induced DALT is apt to be confused with focal accumulations of lymphoid tissue in pathologically altered MSG, as a consequence of local and some systemic autoimmune diseases. An attempt is made to demarcaate healthy and pathological MSG on the basis of currently available clinical, serological, immunological and genetic evidence.     

Complement activation by female protein, the hamster homologue of human C-reactive protein

The capacity of Syrian hamster female protein (FP), a phosphorylcholine (PC)-binding pentraxin, to activate complement was tested in an in vitro system consisting of PC-coupled sheep red blood cells and guinea pig serum as the complement (C) source. FP was demonstrated to fix complement as reflected by hemolysis. Such hemolysis was eliminated by heat treatment (56 degrees C, 30 min) of guinea pig serum and inhibited by PC chloride but not dinitrophenyl lysine. The inability of C4-deficient guinea pig serum to provide lytic activity indicated that lysis proceeded through the classical hemolytic pathway.     

Evaluation of cilofungin (LY121019) for treatment of experimental Candida albicans endocarditis in rabbits.

The efficacy of cilofungin (LY121019) for aortic valve endocarditis caused by Candida albicans in rabbits was studied. Vegetation titers were similar for cilofungin-treated and untreated rabbits. No rabbit survived beyond 5 days in either group. All rabbits given amphotericin B survived, and titers were reduced. Cilofungin was ineffective in this model.     

Antigenic evidence for simultaneous expression of two different lipooligosaccharides by some strains of Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Isolates of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) can be divided into three antigenic groups based on their reactivities with a set of two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against epitopes in the oligosaccharide region of Hib lipooligosaccharide (LOS) (P. A. Gulig, C. C. Patrick, L. Hermanstorfer, G. H. McCracken, Jr., and E. J. Hansen, Infect. Immun. 55:513-520, 1987). Approximately 24% of Hib strains react with both of these LOS-specific MAbs. Immunoprecipitation experiments involving several of these strains indicated that the epitopes recognized by these MAbs resided in two different LOS molecules, both of which were synthesized by these particular Hib strains. In addition, Western blot (immunoblot) analysis of proteinase K-treated cell extracts of these strains that had been subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis revealed two different LOS staining patterns when they were probed independently with the two MAbs. Colony blot radioimmunoassay of hundreds of colonies of one of these Hib strains showed that each colony bound both MAbs. Immune electron microscopy confirmed that individual cells of this same Hib strain expressed both types of LOS molecule at the same time. An antibody accessibility radioimmunoassay was used to show that different Hib strains of this type varied in the relative amounts of each of the two MAbs that they could bind to their cell surfaces. These findings indicate that some Hib strains can synthesize two antigenically distinct LOS molecules simultaneously.     

Cloning of regions required for contact hemolysis and entry into LLC-MK2 cells from Shigella sonnei form I plasmid: virF is a positive regulator gene for these phenotypes.

Two distinct regions required for both contact hemolysis and entry into LLC-MK2 cells were cloned into Escherichia coli from the Shigella sonnei form I plasmid, pSS120. The first region was cloned into an E. coli HB101 strain containing noninvasive Tn1 insertion mutants of the form I plasmid, and expression of ipa (invasion plasmid antigen) gene products was restored. The plasmid carrying the first region was then transformed into E. coli lacking the form I plasmid, and additional DNA fragments from the form I plasmid were cloned into the same recipient on compatible vectors. Five of these double transformants were found to be positive for contact hemolysis activity. Restriction analysis of these five clones indicated that the previously reported ipa locus and the invA locus were present on the second plasmid region. Only the strains carrying both of these regions were active in contact hemolysis and cell invasion assays. Several proteins, including the a, b, c, and d proteins encoded by the ipa genes, were detected in the double transformants by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis with serum of a monkey convalescing from shigellosis. A positive regulator was suggested to exist in the first region, since the amounts of most of these proteins were simultaneously increased in the presence of this region. Subcloning and nucleotide sequencing indicated that this positive regulator gene was virF. Product analysis of the virF gene with minicells showed that two peptides (30 and 21 kilodaltons) were synthesized and that at least the 30-kilodalton protein was essential for regulation of the ipa genes.     

"Lysostrip" experiments with HLA class-II antigens. I. Independent surface mobility of DQ and DR molecules

We report on results of lysostrip experiments designated to analyse the molecular relations between DQ and DR antigens. The purpose of lysostrip application was to determine whether these antigens can independently be redistributed on B-cell surface by incubation with a specific antibody followed by incubation with F(ab')2 fragments of rabbit antihuman Ig. The obtained results have clearly shown that DQ antigens, and supertypic and narrow DR antigens, move independently, indicating that they are located on separate molecules, supporting the concept of different DQ and DR loci.     

A comparison of teaching methods for ED discharge instruction after head injury

Combined teaching methods may improve recall and comprehension of discharge instructions. It is not clear from the study whether improved recall and comprehension resulted in better compliance. However, complications from head injuries, although rare, can be life threatening. Therefore it is recommended that emergency nurses present all instructions to the patient (or person accompanying the patient) by reviewing and explaining all medical terms and directions that the person must understand and follow. If additional time is available or the person does not appear to understand the instructions, reinforcement of content should be provided. It also is recommended that discharge instructions be written at a fifth-grade reading level, avoiding technical and medical terms. With research, emergency nurses can develop and evaluate effective and efficient teaching/learning strategies.     

A preliminary study of radioimmunoimaging by 131I-COC183B2 monoclonal antibody in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Monoclonal antibody 131I-COC183B2, developed in our laboratory and proved to fit for human treatment was injected intraperitoneally or subcutaneously in 13 patients. In 8 cases with i.p. injection the disease corresponded with the image, i.e. 3 primary ovarian epithelial cancers showed positive images, 1 ovarian Krukenberg tumor was negative and the other 4 negative images included 1 uterine myoma and 3 ovarian teratomas. In the subcutaneous injection group, 4 cases had ovarian carcinoma, surgery and chemotherapy. Two negative images corresponded with the clinical status-in good health, another negative case had metastatic left supraclavicular lymph node due to ovarian mucinous adenocarcinoma. The last negative image in this group was a case of benign ovarian teratoma which was proved after surgery. The 1 positive case was waiting to be proved by a scheduled third operation. The computer scintigram calculation of T/NT was 5.35 to 13.7. The results suggest that this monoclonal antibody can be used for radioimmunoimaging for the localization of ovarian carcinoma, which is not only helpful for clinical staging and differential diagnosis but is also a good follow-up method.