Receptors for complement of leukocytes

Sheep red blood cells sensitized by 7S, but not by 19S rabbit anti-Forssman antibodies, adhere and form rosettes on mouse macrophages and on a few monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells (PMN). When, however, C'' factors from mouse serum are added to the antigen-19S antibody complex (EAC''), rosettes are formed on most mouse peritoneal macrophages and PMN and on a few monocytes. In addition EAC'' also adheres to 10–25% of lymph node lymphocytes but not to thymus lymphocytes. EAC'' prepared with 7S anti-Forssman antibodies has identical properties. The adherence of red cells induces an increase in the membrane activity of the leukocytes and causes injury to the red cells which rapidly become deformed and fragmented. Adherence of EAC'' occurs at 37°C and is minimal at 4°C. Probably only the first four C'' components are involved in this phenomenon as mouse serum deficient in C''5 or rabbit serum, deficient in C''6 can be used as a source of C'' components. Treatment of EAC'' with EDTA does not modify its leukocyte-adherence properties. The adherence of EAC'' to the leukocytes is not inhibited in the presence of serum. The receptors for C'' on macrophages, PMN, and monocytes differ from those found on lymphocytes. Rosette formation by EAC'' on macrophages, PMN, and monocytes depends on divalent cations (Mg⁺⁺) and can be reversed by Na₃H EDTA, while adherence to lymphocytes is independent of these ions and occurs in the presence of 0.01 M Na₃H EDTA. Both types of receptors for C'' components are destroyed by trypsin treatment of the leukocytes, in contrast with the receptors for 7S antibodies on the same cells which persist after enzyme treatment.     

Effect of myoelectric signal processing on the relationship between muscle force and processed EMG

The relationship between the force generated by an isometrically contracting muscle and the associated myoelectric signal has been the subject of extensive investigation in the past and conflicting results were reported regarding this relationship. The objective of the present study was to investigate some of the sources that may lead to such conflicting results. Two possible sources were examined. The first was the variability in the force-EMG relationship resulting from processing the EMG signal with different EMG signal processing techniques and the second was the variability in the force-EMG relation obtained from repeated muscle contractions. The results of the study indicate that slight variations in the force-EMG relationships can be attributed to the selection of different processing techniques. However, the variability in the force-EMG relation, obtained by using different EMG signal processors, was found to be significantly smaller than the variability in this relationship obtained from repeated muscle contractions.     

Health status, sociodemographic factors, and the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs

The relations among sociodemographic factors, health status, and use of prescribed sleeping pills and tranquilizers are examined. The data are from the Rand Health Insurance Experiment, which has a random sample of the nonaged, noninstitutionalized, civilian population in six U.S. sites. Information on sociodemographic factors, health status, and the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs during the previous 3 months was obtained from self-report questionnaires collected at enrollment. Mental and physical health status have large independent and significant effects on the probability of use of both prescribed tranquilizers (P less than 0.0001) and sleeping pills (P less than 0.0001), whether or not we remove the effects of sociodemographic factors. For the probability of tranquilizer use, there is no significant interaction between gender and mental health or between mental health and physical health. Age and gender have large and significant effects on the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs even after controlling for differences in health status and other demographic factors. The effects of site and socioeconomic status are modest compared with the effects of health, age, and gender.     

Naturally Occurring Human Antiglobulins with Specificity for γE

Human sera have been examined for antibodies with specific reactivity for gammaE using the tanned cell hemagglutination test. Cells tanned with three different gammaE myeloma proteins provided a reproducible test system. Inhibition of agglutination reactions by gammaE proteins, but not by gammaG, gammaA, gammaM, or gammaD confirmed the specificity of these reactions. 8.5% of 304 serial serum samples obtained from miscellaneous hospitalized patients showed clear-cut anti-gamma-globulins with specificity for gammaE. In most of these instances no definite clinical history of concomitant allergic disorders could be obtained. 53% of 73 patients with well-established allergic disorders (hay fever, extrinsic asthma) showed serum anti-gamma-globulins with reactivity for gammaE. Some patients studied before and after desensitization to Bermuda grass allergen showed an increase in titer or a conversion from negative to positive reactions for anti-gammaE antibodies following several month courses of progressive desensitization. Gradient and gel filtration studies indicated that anti-gammaE globulins were 19S gammaM in all instances. No clear correlation was noted between quantitative serum gammaE levels and titer of anti-gammaE antibodies.19S serum fractions with anti-gammaE antibody activity did not release histamine from normal human peripheral blood leukocytes, whereas specific rabbit anti-gammaE antisera consistently induced leukocytic histamine release. Moreover, macroglobulin fractions with anti-gammaE activity did not block allergen-specific leukocyte histamine release induced by in vitro leukocyte challenge with allergens such as Bermuda grass and leukocytes from allergic donors. In some instances 19S human serum fractions with anti-gammaE activity appeared to potentiate histamine release when incubated concomitantly with specific allergen and leukocytes from allergic individuals.     

The sexual offender: Monster,victim, or everyman?

The nature of sexual offending is considered and it is concluded that offenders are more like other people than they are different. It is concluded that they are neither monsters nor victims and should, as a consequence, be treated like all other clients. Treatment implications are considered and it is suggested that we shift our focus away from a preoccupation with procedures and instead give attention to process features of treatment. Various therapist styles are discussed and it is proposed that a style that enhances the offender's self-esteem may be best. The value of this approach is outlined and tentative data are offered suggesting its value. Considerations for future developments are noted.Keynote address at the 14th Annual Research and Treatment Conference of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, New Orleans, October 1995.     

The relationship between peritubular capillary protein concentration and fluid reabsorption by the renal proximal tubule

The relationship between peritubular capillary protein concentration and rate of sodium reabsorption by the rat proximal tubule was examined using free-flow recollection micropuncture techniques. Tubule fluid-to-plasma inulin ratios were measured before, during, and at successive intervals after brief (15-25 sec) intra-aortic injections (at the level of the renal artery) of colloid-free, isoncotic, and hyperoncotic solutions. Arterial hematocrit and protein concentrations were measured simultaneously in these rats. In other rats, total protein concentration of peritubular capillary blood plasma was determined before, during, and after these same infusions with a newly described submicroliter fiber-optic colorimeter.In the 15-25 sec interval necessary to infuse 2 ml of these test solutions, fractional and absolute sodium reabsorption varied directly with peritubular capillary colloid osmotic pressure, declining during infusion of colloid-free solutions, increasing during hyperoncotic infusions, and remaining unchanged during isoncotic infusions.In the subsequent 20-min interval after intra-aortic injection of these test solutions, capillary protein concentration remained at (isoncotic infusions) or returned to (colloid-free and hyperoncotic fluids) control values. Whereas reabsorption after colloid-free solutions returned to base line levels in parallel with the return in capillary protein concentration, after colloid infusions (which resulted in continued expansion of extracellular fluid volume), a progressive decline in reabsorption was observed.These results afford strong evidence that peritubular capillary colloid osmotic pressure is one important determinant of proximal sodium reabsorption. Nevertheless it is apparent that mechanisms other than or in addition to this must be invoked to explain the delayed inhibition of reabsorption that accompanies expansion of extracellular fluid volume by colloid solutions.     

Removal of prion challenge from an immune globulin preparation by use of a size-exclusion filter

BACKGROUND: A size-exclusion filter (Viresolve 180, Millipore Corp.) was tested for its ability to remove transmissible spongiform encephalopathies prion protein from an immune globulin preparation during ultrafiltration. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Hamster-adapted 263K scrapie brain homogenate (SBH) was spiked into Rh0(D) immune globulin (human) at 1 in 300 and 1 in 1000 dilutions. Before spiking, the SBH was treated with detergent, sonicated, and filtered through serial 0.45-, 0.22-, and 0.1-microm filters to present a rigorous filter challenge. Process variables were monitored throughout the ultrafiltration to ensure that the spiked material did not compromise the membrane flux. Removal of scrapie prion protein (PrP(Sc)) material was determined by use of a sensitive Western blot assay. RESULTS: The turbid SBH became completely translucent after sonication and passage through the 0.45-, 0.22-, and 0.1-microm filters. The filtration of the immune globulin containing PrP(Sc) material was more difficult to perform than was filtration of immune globulin spiked with the normal cellular isoform. Even during tangential flow filtration, the fibril material prevented the PrP(Sc)-spiked immune globulin from passing as readily through the filter. Western blot results indicated a removal of greater than or equal to 2.5 log PrP(Sc), while remaining within the normal filtration limits. CONCLUSIONS: The composition, physical condition, and the amount of SBH introduced have significant effects on the filtration of the immune globulin and the log removal values obtained. By use of a detergent-treated, sonicated, and filtered preparation of SBH, it was demonstrated that the Viresolve 180 effectively removes PrP(Sc) from the immune globulin.