Effect of Basic Prehospital Trauma Life Support Program on Cognitive and Trauma Management Skills

p < 0.05) compared to 9.1 ± 2.3 for group II. Pre-PHTLS Adherence to Priority scores on a scale of 1 to 7 were similar (1.1 ± 0.9 for group I and 1.2 ± 1.0 for group II). Post-PHTLS group I Priority scores increased to 5.9 ± 1.1. Group II (1.1 ± 1.0) did not improve their post-PHTLS scores. The pre-PHTLS Organized Approach scores in the simulated trauma patients on a scale of 1 to 5 were 2.1 ± 1.0 for group I and 1.9 ± 1.2 for group II (NS) compared to 4.2 ± 0.9 ( p < 0.05) in group I and 2.0 ± 0.8 in group II after PHTLS. This study demonstrates improved cognitive and trauma management skills performance among prehospital paramedical personnel who complete the basic PHTLS program.     

Observations on the binding and interaction of radioiodinated colony- stimulating factor with murine bone marrow cells in vivo

Radioiodinated L-cell-derived colony-stimulating factor (CSF) was used to characterize the binding reaction to murine bone marrow cells. The major increment in cell-associated radioactivity occurred over 24 hr incubation at 37 degrees C, but virtually no binding was observed at 4 degrees C. The reaction was saturable with approximately 1 ng/ml of purified CSF. Unlabeled CSF prevented the binding, whereas a number of other hormones and proteins did not compete for CSF uptake. Further specificity studies showed virtually no binding to human bone marrow, which is unresponsive to this form of murine CSF. Minimal CSF uptake was noted with murine peritoneal macrophages, but virtually no binding was detected with thymic, lymph node, liver, or kidney cells. The marrow cell interaction with tracer appeared to require a new protein synthesis, as the binding was prevented by cycloheximide or puromycin. Preincubation of marrow cells in medium devoid of CSF increased the degree of binding after 1 hr exposure to the tracer. This suggests that CSF binding sites may be occupied or perhaps decreased in response to ambient levels of CSF in vivo. Approximately 70% of the bound radioactivity was detected in the cytoplasm at 24 hr. This material was partially degraded as judged by a decrease in molecular weight from approximately 62,000 to 2 peaks of approximately 32,000 and approximately 49,000, but 72% of the binding activity was retained. After plateau binding was achieved, greater than 80% of the radioactivity released into the medium was degraded into biologically inactive peptides with molecular weights less than 10,000. These findings suggest that the interaction of CSF with marrow cells is characterized by binding with subsequent internalization and metabolic degradation into portions of the molecule that are devoid of biologic activity.     

Stereoselectivity of catecholamines: differential effects of cocaine and desipramine on catecholamine-induced contractions of the rat isolated vas deferens

The effect of uptake inhibitors, cocaine and desipramine, on the contractile response of the rat isolated vas deferens to the enantiomers of noradrenaline and adrenaline and to the corresponding deoxy-derivatives, dopamine and epinephline, was investigated. Cocaine (10(-6)M) significantly potentiated all six agonists; the effect was most marked for the laevo-isomers (-)-noradrenaline and (-)-adrenaline. Desipramine (10(-7) M) also potentiated (-)-noradrenaline, (+)-noradrenaline, (-)-adrenaline, (+)-adrenaline and epinephline but, in contrast, antagonized dopamine. This selective antagonism of dopamine by desipramine was also observed for the separated epididymal and prostatic ends of the rat vas deferens.     

Interaction of an acute phase reactant, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid), with the lymphoid cell surface: a model for non-specific immune suppression.

alpha 1-Acid glycoprotein (AG), a serum component elevated during acute inflammation, has been implicated in the suppression of various immunological responses. Pretreatment of lymphoid cells with AG at a concentration commonly found in patients with acute inflammation results in the inhibition of mitogen induced lymphoproliferation as well as capping of concanavalin A (Con A) receptors and surface immunoglobulin (sIg) on the lymphoid cell surface. In order to determine a potential interaction of AG with the lipid bilayer we examined the effects of purified AG on synthetic phosphatidyl choline vesicles. AG displaces 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulphonate (ANS), an anionic surface probe from these vesicles yet is unable to perturb the binding of N-phenyl-1-naphthalamine (NPN), a hydrophobic probe of the membrane interior. The non-immunosuppressive asialo-derivative of AG is incapable of displacing ANS from the vesicles. The interaction of AG with the membrane may partially involve electrostatic forces mediated by sialic acid and/or steric hindrance of receptor mobility. The results suggest that AG has the capacity to perturb the lymphoid cell surface and interfere with events required for lymphocyte proliferation.