Human monoclonal antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum: production, stabilization and characterization

Nine human monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) recognizing 7 different antigenic structures of blood-stages of the human malarial parasite P. falciparum (Pf) were produced by Epstein-Barr virus transformed B-cell lines (EBV-TCL) with or without fusion to the lymphoblastoid cell line KR4. The peripheral blood B-lymphocytes were obtained from 8 Gambian donors immune to Pf malaria. Two of the EBV-TCL could be expanded and maintained for more than 6 months but neither one could be cloned. Six additional EBV-TCL were stabilized after fusion with the KR4 lymphoblastoid cell line. All resulting hybridomas permitted easy cloning. Some of the MoAbs produced distinct fluorescent staining patterns of asexual Pf blood-stage parasites when using high-resolution digitized video-intensified fluorescence microscopy. Antigens on 195 kD and 155 kD proteins were recognized by 3 and 1 MoAb, respectively, using Western blotting and immunoprecipitation techniques.     

Demographic Characteristics and the Frequency of Heavy Drinking as Predictors of Self-reported Drinking Problems

The distribution of both heavy drinking and drinking problems are well known from several previous studies. Not surprisingly, drinking problems are more prevalent among the demographic groups where heavy drinking is also more prevalent. This well-known conjunction, however, does little to determine whether some groups are more likely than others to experience drinking problems when we control for the amount of alcohol consumed. Here, this question is punned through a multiple regression analysis in which the dependent variable is a score on a drinking problem scale and the independent variables are: the frequency of heavy drinking occasions, sex, age, marital status, region, urbanicity, income, and education. The results indicate that none of these demographic variables had a strong association with the reported problem level.     

Hemodynamic Effect of Propafenone and the Experience in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

The effects of propafenone on left ventricular function and hemodynamics are presented in this study. In one group of 13 patients who underwent electrophysiological testing and subsequent chronic oral therapy with propafenone, eight had left ventricular ejection fractions determined by nuclear study before and during therapy with the drug. Initial measurements ranged from 22% to 39% (mean 30%), while those on chronic therapy showed no statistical difference and ranged from 22% to 48% (mean 30%). In a separate dose titration study of 14 patients, left ventricular ejection fraction showed a modest but significant decrease (52%± 9% to 48%± 11%; p < 0.05). This change was more marked in patients with an initial low ejection fraction. Propafenone appears to be safe in these patients but should be administered with caution in patients with particularly low ejection fractions.     

A study of variations in the reported haemophilia B prevalence around the world

Summary. The objectives of this article were to study the reported prevalence of haemophilia B (HB) on a country‐by‐country basis and to analyse whether the prevalence of HB varied by national economy. The prevalence of HB is the proportion of diagnosed, reported cases of HB in a population at a specific point of time. We collected data on the HB prevalence for 105 countries from the World Federation of Hemophilia annual global surveys. Our results showed that the HB prevalence varied considerably among countries, even among the wealthiest of countries. The HB prevalence (per 100 000 males) for the highest income countries was 2.69 ± 1.61 (mean ± SD), whereas the prevalence for the rest of the world was 1.20 ± 1.33 (mean ± SD). Ireland had the highest reported HB prevalence of 8.07 per 100 000 males. There was a strong trend of increasing HB prevalence (per 100 000 males) over time. Prevalence data reported from the WFH compared well with prevalence data from the literature. The WFH annual global surveys have some limitations, but they are the best available source of worldwide haemophilia data. Prevalence data are extremely valuable information for the planning efforts of national healthcare agencies in setting priorities and allocating resources for the treatment of HB.