Creative Grandparenting Bonding the Generations

Grandparents are a vital link for young families. The support grandparents can provide to the new family is now more important than ever. A creative grandparenting program can increase the likelihood that grandparent support is effective and welcomed. This article includes a discussion of such a program, suggested content areas to include, and the development of appropriate teaching strategies.     

Modulation of CD72 by ligation of B cell receptor complex molecules on CD5+ B cells

B cells expressing CD5 also carry its ligand, CD72. As an approach to understanding the role of CD5 and CD72 on B cells, we have examined the association of CD72 with CD5 and slgM by modulation/co-modulation and capping/co-capping following ligation of these surface molecules with specific antibodies. Modulation and co-modulation were measured after 24 h, whilst capping was measured after 1 h. CD5 and slgM co-modulated each other, CD72 co-modulated with slgM and CD5, but anti-CD72 did not affect either slgM or CD5. CD5 and slgM co-capped each other, whilst CD72 failed to co-cap with either slgM or CD5. The CD5-induced co- modulation of CD72 was partially blocked by specific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, but not the slgM-induced co-modulation, Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors abrogated the anti-mu- but not the anti-CD5- triggered modulation of CD72, whereas PKC activators prevented the CD5- but not the slgM-induced 24 h modulation of CD72. None of these drugs was able to modify the anti-CD72-induced modulation of CD72. Our data suggest that CD5 is physically associated with slgM in the B cell receptor complex but not with CD72. Furthermore, from the effect of drugs on modulation, there appears to be different associations of CD72 with slgM and CD5. These two pathways differed in some respects, consistent with a co-stimulatory function of CD72 and CD5 in B cell activation.      

Proteus vulgaris agglutination by cystic fibrosis sera

The factor in sera of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their parents which agglutinates Proteus vulgaris has characteristics similar to those of IgG antibody to this organism. Sera of patients without CF who have P. vulgaris infections agglutinate the organism similarly. At present there are too many false-positives in a control population for the test to be widely useful for heterozygote identification.