TCR gamma delta bearing lymphocyte clones with lymphokine-activated killer activity against autologous leukemic cells

Activated T lymphocytes with the T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma delta (CD3+ and TCR delta 1+) exhibit strong cytotoxic activity against the standard natural killer (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) sensitive target cells. In order to test the cytotoxic activity of gamma delta T lymphocytes against autologous leukemic cells, 84 clones of gamma delta T lymphocytes were obtained from the peripheral blood of three acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Forty-four of these T-cell clones were active against an LAK-sensitive cell line and the other 40 were active against K562, an NK target cell line. In each of the three patients, cytotoxic clones against autologous leukemic cells were obtained. Among the 84 clones, ten were able to kill autologous tumor cells, including eight that lyse the LAK-sensitive target and two with NK activity. The clones were highly cytotoxic, stable, and easily expanded in large quantity.     

Role of basic fibroblast growth factor in vascular lesion formation

In the present study we investigated whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays a role in the proliferative response of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to denuding injury. Rat carotid smooth muscle was found to express the mRNA for bFGF, and bFGF protein was found to be present in rat aorta by immunoblot analysis. Systemically administered bFGF was a potent mitogen for vascular SMCs in arteries denuded with a balloon catheter, increasing replication from 11.5% in controls to 54.8%. Denudation with a device (filament loop), which causes only minimal damage to medial SMCs, showed a similar increase in replication (1.3% versus 43.3%) after bFGF infusion. In unmanipulated vessels, however, SMCs were unresponsive to infused bFGF. Infusion of a "mitotoxin" (bFGF conjugated to saporin) caused a greater than 50% decrease in the number of viable SMCs in the arterial wall after balloon injury. Prolonged administration of bFGF (12 micrograms/day for 2 weeks) after balloon injury caused an approximately twofold increase in intimal thickening. These results show that bFGF, which is synthesized by the arterial wall, could be a potent mitogen for SMCs in vivo and suggest that any release of endogenous bFGF may be capable of stimulating SMC proliferation, which may subsequently lead to intimal lesion formation.     

A comparison of the efficiency of ELISA and selected primer sets to detect Norovirus isolates in southern Ireland over a four-year period (2002-2006): variation in detection rates and evidence for continuing predominance of NoV GII.4 genotype

Norovirus (NoV) gastroenteritis occurs in all age groups and is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the community. However, detection methods and rates vary widely, and few data are available to compare these, particularly in Ireland. Detection of noroviruses through antigen and molecular-based strategies was carried out on 135 suspected NoV-positive samples, collected over the course of three NoV outbreaks, from 2002 to 2006, in the southern region of Ireland. A commercially available ELISA and a panel of six primer sets were evaluated to determine their suitability for NoV detection in Irish clinical samples. The key findings of this study were the detection of both GGI and GGII noroviruses by ELISA, but the detection of only GGII noroviruses by RT-PCR. In addition to this, a variation in the levels of detection from 9.4 % to 17.3 % was observed for conventional PCR assays, while a detection rate of 46.3 % was observed for the real-time PCR assay. A proportion (17.8 %) of samples were found to be negative by all detection strategies, suggesting the possibility of reporting false positives for these samples or low-copy positives that do not often repeat. Sequencing information from selected samples also revealed nucleotide polymorphisms, compromising efficient primer binding in the case of one primer pairing. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial polymerase gene identified NoV GII.4 as the dominant genotype, in accordance with previous NoV studies in Ireland. Investigating the NoV diversity of the circulating strains and the dynamics of strain replacement is important to better assess the efficacy of future NoV vaccines and to facilitate the early detection of changes in circulating NoV strains.     

转化生长因子β1在大鼠纤维化腹膜组织中的表达及作用

目的:检测转化生长因子β1在腹膜透析大鼠腹膜内表达,并探讨其在腹膜纤维化中的意义。方法:实验于2005-06/2006-03在中南大学湘雅二医院肾内科实验室完成。①实验材料:雄性SD大鼠,体质量180～240g,由中南大学湘雅二医院动物实验中心提供。②实验方法:将28只大鼠按随机数字表随机分为4组,每组7只。正常对照组不予任何干预;生理盐水组腹腔注射20mL生理盐水;低糖透析液组腹腔注射20mL1.5%葡萄糖透析液;高糖透析液组腹腔注射20mL4.25%葡萄糖透析液,均为1次/d。4周后,向大鼠腹腔注射4.25%葡萄糖腹膜透析液20mL,4h后于大鼠右下腹缓慢插入带有多个侧孔的10号静脉留置针,缓慢低位引流腹透液,量取引流液。③实验评估:取大鼠壁层腹膜组织,以苏木素-伊红染色,镜下测量腹膜厚度,采用免疫组织化学方法检测大鼠腹膜中转化生长因子β1及纤连蛋白。结果:28只大鼠均进入结果分析。①高糖透析液组、低糖透析液组超滤量均明显低于正常对照组与生理盐水组,并且高糖透析液组超滤量明显少于低糖透析液组(P均<0.05)。②高糖透析液组腹膜明显增厚,表面粗糙,间皮细胞肿胀,脱落,间皮下有大量血管生成以及胶原纤维沉积,还可见单核细胞等炎症细胞浸润,与其他组比较,腹膜厚度明显增加(P<0.05)。③高糖透析液组转化生长因子β1、纤连蛋白表达量均明显高于其他组;低糖透析液组转化生长因子β1、纤连蛋白表达量均明显高于正常对照组与生理盐水组(P<0.05)。④大鼠腹膜组织转化生长因子β1蛋白与纤连蛋白表达量、腹膜厚度之间呈明显的正相关(r=0.86,0.83,P<0.05)。结论:葡萄糖透析液可诱导腹膜组织转化生长因子β1明显上调,腹膜转化生长因子β1高表达与腹膜透析腹膜纤维化密切相关。     

New radiological typing system for rhinosinusitis and comparison with existing system: Initial finding

The objective of this study was to determine whether the proposed Malan radiological sinusitis typing (RST) system facilitated a level of agreement and ease of use comparable with the Lund–Mackay (LM) system for chronic rhinosinusitis. Ten observers (one otolaryngologist and nine radiologists), in two separate centres (regional and tertiary), blinded to all clinical data, used these two systems to independently and randomly score and type 15 sets of scans, recording the time to score each film. Using unweighted kappa scores, both methods facilitated a moderate level of agreement, slightly better with the LM system. The Malan system is more time efficient. Preliminarily, this study shows that the Malan RST system is easy to apply with a comparable level of agreement. The Malan RST system is a focused attempt at classifying disease extent radiologically and correlating it to a surgical approach. It emphasizes that scoring systems are vulnerable and proves to be superior to the LM system as a surgical planning tool. To score sinus disease, a Quality‐of‐Life questionnaire in association with this typing method is more appropriate.     

A clinical study assessing the tolerability and biological effects of infliximab, a TNF-alpha inhibitor, in patients with advanced cancer

BACKGROUND: Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is an important regulator of the chronic inflammation contributing to tumour progression. Infliximab, an anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody was investigated in this trial of patients with advanced cancer. The primary objectives were to determine the safety profile and biological response of infliximab in a cancer population. Clinical response was a secondary objective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients received infliximab at 5 mg/kg (n = 21) or 10 mg/kg (n = 20) i.v. at 0 and 2 weeks and then every 4 weeks. Post-treatment samples were measured for changes in plasma and serum TNF-alpha, CCL2, IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: Infliximab was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxic effects. At both doses of infliximab, neutralisation of serum TNF-alpha was observed after 1 h while plasma CCL2, IL-6 and serum CRP were decreased 24 and 48 h following infliximab administration. Seven patients experienced disease stablisation (range 10-50+ weeks). There was no evidence of disease acceleration in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab treatment was safe and well tolerated in patients with advanced cancer. There was evidence of biological activity with baseline TNF-alpha and CCL2 being correlated with infliximab response.     

Health services for immigrant children: opportunities under Title XXI

This article notes the health care risks for immigrant children and describes recent restrictions on their ability to apply for Medicaid. It is reasonable to estimate that by the year 2001, there could be as many as two million immigrant children in the United States who are ineligible for Medicaid simply due to their immigration status. The article also describes the opportunities under the new federal law, Title XXI of the Social Security Act, which enables states to develop health care programs specifically for low-income immigrant children who are ineligible for Medicaid. Pediatricians, advocates for children, and health care providers who serve immigrant communities can use their knowledge of the opportunities in this new law to work with state lawmakers and health policy officials to help provide services to needy immigrant children.