Development of an antibody that binds sulfur mustard.

An antibody that binds bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide (sulfur mustard) was developed. The immunizing antigen was prepared from the hapten 4-(2-chloroethyl)benzoic acid covalently bound to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The antibody was monitored by a solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The test antigen consisted of a second hapten, 8-chlorocaprylic acid, covalently bound to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The test antigen was absorbed to the wells of 96-well plates. The immunizing and test antigens contain a common chloroethyl moiety. Thiodiglycol, the principal hydrolysis product of sulfur mustard, does not react with the antibody. This antibody, because of its specificity, has the potential to be a valuable tool for mustard research and forensic detection.     

Situational influences on social behaviors of depression-prone individuals

Depressed (N = 20) and nondepressed outpatients (N = 20) and normal controls (N = 20) rated the frequency with which they used various interpersonal behaviors in different social roles and emotional circumstances. The results indicated considerable situational specificity in subjects' reports of how they actually behave; the three subject groups displayed similar patterns. Most notable were findings that subjects report relatively frequent use of sadness displays when stressed by intimates, but not when similar stresses are imposed by strangers. In the latter case, social withdrawal is reported as a relatively frequent response. The results are discussed as contradicting an invariant, trait-like interpersonal style among depressed individuals.     

Analysis of variability of clinical manifestations in Waardenburg syndrome

Expression of clinical findings of Waardenburg syndrome type 1 (WS1) and type 2 (WS2) is extremely variable. Using our collection of 26 WS1 and 8 WS2 families, we analyzed the occurrence, severity, and symmetry of clinical manifestations associated with WS. We found significant differences between WS1 and WS2 in deafness, and in pigmentary and craniofacial anomalies. Factor analysis was used to identify manifestations which covaried, resulting in 2 orthogonal factors. Since mean factor scores were found to differ when compared between WS1 and WS2, we suggest that these factors could be useful in distinguishing WS types. We found that the WS gene was transmitted from mothers more often than from fathers. We also extensively examined the W-Index, a continuous measure of dystopia canthorum. Our data suggest that use of the W-Index to discriminate between affected WS1 and WS2 individuals may be problematic since 1) ranges of W-Index scores of affected and unaffected individuals over-lapped considerably within both WS1 and WS2, and 2) a considerable number of both affected and unaffected WS2 individuals exhibited W-index scores consistent with dystopia canthorum. Misclassification of families may have implications for risk assessment of deafness, since WS2 families have been reported to have greater incidence of deafness, as confirmed in our study. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A Mott cell hybridoma

A hybridoma is described that exhibits all the characteristic features of Mott cells. It has spherules (Russell bodies) in the cytoplasm made up of dilated rough endoplasmatic reticulum and containing condensed immunoglobulin (λ₁ light chains). Some of the cells appear to be very fragile, and free spherules are often found on cell smears. Cells with the Mott cell characteristics are still able to divide, but they do not secrete immunoglobulin. Hybridomas of this kind should be useful for determining the place of the Mott cell within the scheme of B cell differentiation.     

Application of influence diagrams to prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy plan selection

The purpose is to incorporate clinically relevant factors such as patient-specific and dosimetric information as well as data from clinical trials in the decision-making process for the selection of prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans. The approach is to incorporate the decision theoretic concept of an influence diagram into the solution of the multiobjective optimization inverse planning problem. A set of candidate IMRT plans was obtained by varying the importance factors for the planning target volume (PTV) and the organ-at-risk (OAR) in combination with simulated annealing to explore a large part of the solution space. The Pareto set for the PTV and OAR was analysed to demonstrate how the selection of the weighting factors influenced which part of the solution space was explored. An influence diagram based on a Bayesian network with 18 nodes was designed to model the decision process for plan selection. The model possessed nodes for clinical laboratory results, tumour grading, staging information, patient-specific information, dosimetric information, complications and survival statistics from clinical studies. A utility node was utilized for the decision-making process. The influence diagram successfully ranked the plans based on the available information. Sensitivity analyses were used to judge the reasonableness of the diagram and the results. In conclusion, influence diagrams lend themselves well to modelling the decision processes for IMRT plan selection. They provide an excellent means to incorporate the probabilistic nature of data and beliefs into one model. They also provide a means for introducing evidence-based medicine, in the form of results of clinical trials, into the decision-making process.     

Age-related reductions in rat atrial high affinity choline uptake, ACh synthesis, and ACh release. A brief note

We have developed a rat atrial mince preparation that can take up choline, acetylate it, and then release acetylcholine in a depolarization-dependent manner. We demonstrate that aging appears to reduce the functional cholinergic activity in this tissue, which may be important for understanding how senescence alters the regulation of cardiac activity.     

Impedance-gradient electrode reduces skin irritation induced by transthoracic defibrillation

A new type of disposable external defibrillation electrode has been developed to reduce the skin irritation commonly associated with defibrillation and synchronised cardioversion. This design employs an impedance gradient to reduce the proportion of current delivered to the electrode periphery. The temperature distribution under the new electrode was compared with that of four other types of commercially available electrodes after repeated high-energy biphasic defibrillation discharges to domestic swine. Skin temperature distributions were acquired using non-invasive thermography. Measurements of the maximum temperature rise at each electrode site, taken 3.6s after the fifth defibrillation discharge, demonstrated that the new impedance-gradient electrode produced 50–60% less skin heating than two of the three uniform-impedance electrode designs. Histological examination of erythematous sites excised 24h after defibrillation quantified the associated skin damage using a scoring protocol developed for this study. In contrast to previous studies, histological examinations demonstrated second-degree skin burns following defibrillation. The new electrode design, however, induced 44–46% less skin damage than two of the traditional uniform-impedance electrodes.     

Zur Induktion einer aktiven chronischen Hepatitis durch heterologe lösliche Leberproteine

Zusammenfassung Die Untersuchungen gehen von dem früher geführten Nachweis eines im immunologischen Sinne organspezifischen und weitgehend speciesexclusiven Proteins der Leber aus. Entsprechende Proteinpräparationen aus menschlichen Lebern wurden zur Sensibilisierung von Kaninchen eingesetzt.1. Bei langdauernder Sensibilisierung (über 1 Jahr) mit kleinen Dosen gelang beim erwachsenen Kaninchen die Induktion einer Immuntoleranz, die durch Applikation von hitzeund sulfanilsäurealteriertem Protein durchbrochen werden konnte; gleichzeitig konnte eine Hypersensibilität vom verzögerten Typ induziert werden. Histologisch fand sich bei allen Tieren eine aktive chronische Hepatitis; die übrigen Organe (Herz, Lunge, Skeletmuskulatur, Schilddrüse und Niere) waren frei von pathologischen Veränderungen.2. Bei kurzzeitiger Sensibilisierung (3 Monate) mit hohen Dosen fand sich histologisch lediglich eine dichtzellige lymphocytäre Infiltration der Periportalfelder der Leber; nur bei einem Tier bestanden geringe Hinweiszeichen auf eine beginnende chronische Lebererkrankung.In der Diskussion wird auf die serologisch nachweisbare Antigenverwandtschaft der entsprechenden Proteine von humaner und Kaninchenleber hingewiesen. Für die Entwicklung einer chronisch-progredienten Organerkrankung scheint die Ausbildung einer Hypersensitivität vom verzögerten Typ im Rahmen einer langdauernden Stimulierung wesentlich zu sein.

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Induction of chronic active hepatitis by organspecific heterologic soluble proteins of the liver

Summary These investigations are concerned with species- and organspecific liver proteins, demonstrated in earlier studies. Rabbits were sensitized utilizing similar protein-preparations obtained from human liver.1. With long-term sensitizations (approximately one year) immuntolerances were induced in adult rabbits by chronic administration of small doses of protein. The state of immun tolerance could be disturbed by applying of heat- and sulfanilic acid-altered protein, which at the same time could be shown to have induced hypersensitivity of delayed type. — Histologically active chronic hepatitis was found in all animals. Other organs such as heart, lung, skeletal muscle, thyroid gland and kidney were not affected.2. In short-term sensitizations with a high dosis of liver protein only dense lymphocytic infiltrations in the periportal areas were found histologically. In one animal only early changes of a chronic hepatitis were seen.Antigenic relations between human and rabbit liver proteins, as demonstrated earlier by serological techniques, are discussed in detail. Hypersensitivity of the delayed type would seem to play an important role in the development of active chronic hepatitis. This condition can be produced with long-term stimulations.