Excretory/secretory antigen of Toxocara canis: recognition profiles of polyclonal and larvicidal monoclonal antibodies

Summary Five monoclonal antibodies against the excretory/secretory (E/S) antigen of Toxocara canis were obtained and characterized. Immunoprecipitating activity was demonstrated in an in-vitro micropre-cipitating assay using live T. canis larvae. Their capacity to kill larvae was also shown in an in-vitro assay. Two zones of reactivity were observed in 7.5 and 12.5% SDS-PAGE (177-77 kD, 43-15 kD) of immunoprecipitates of human and mouse positive polyclonal anlisera. The murine monoclonal antibodies showed a common pattern of reactivity with the proteins in the 177-77 kD range.     

Dietary Tryptophan Reverses Alcohol-induced Impairment of Facial Recognition But Not Verbal Recall

The present study demonstrates that alcohol-induced memory impairment can be attenuated by pretreatment with an oral tryptophan supplementation. These results provide support for the role of a brain serotonin deficit in this impairment and highlight the impact a dietary manipulation can have on a complex behavioral process.     

Impaired Lymphocyte Proliferative Response to Mitogen in Alcoholic Patients. Absence of a Relation to Liver Disease Activity

Concanavalin A-induced lymphocyte proliferation was studied in 25 patients with alcoholic hepatitis or compensated alcoholic cirrhosis. Nine alcoholics without evidence of liver disease were also evaluated. A nonlinear correlation equation, which was natural logarithmic, was applied to individual dose-response proliferation curves and permitted comparisons between patient groups and controls. The proliferative response in all patient groups was significantly lower when compared to healthy controls and was independent of the presence or absence of liver disease. This suggests that some changes in immune function observed in alcoholics may be linked to the direct effects of alcohol on the immune system rather than to the associated liver disease.     

Tissue-specific regulation of pyroglutamate aminopeptidase II activity by thyroid hormones

Among the enzymes capable of degrading thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in vitro, two pyroglutamate aminopeptidases (PGA) are specific for TRH: thyroliberinase, a seric enzyme and PGAII, a membrane-bound peptidase. The effect of thyroid hormone status on the activity of these enzymes was evaluated in serum and various tissues. Only in adenohypophysis, triiodothyronine treatment increased PGAII to 376% of control; hypothyroidism produced the reverse effect (decrease to 23% of control). As previously reported, similar changes were observed for thyroliberinase. TRH degradation at the adenohypophysis level may participate in the negative feedback control of thyroid hormones.     

A novel hybridoma antibody (PASE/4LJ) to human prostatic acid phosphatase suitable for immunohistochemistry

A murine monoclonal antibody PASE/4LJ to prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) was used to immunostain a wide variety of sections of benign and malignant tissues (654 blocks). Non-neoplastic adult and fetal prostatic glands, primary and metastatic prostatic carcinomas, and scattered cells in prostatic and penile urethra were positive. Rat, dog and rabbit prostates were negative. Nine of 400 tumours of non-prostatic origin showed some positivity: 6/36 carcinoids, 1/9 islet cell tumours, 1/55 ovarian adenocarcinomas (serous) and one carcinosarcoma of the lung (epithelial portion). Positive staining was seen in islet cells in 4/5 specimens of normal pancreas, and in 4/9 blocks of normal pancreas surrounding a pancreatic tumour. Loops of Henle, maculae densae, and distal tubules in 10/10 fetal and 2/9 adult kidneys were also positive, with proximal tubules and collecting ducts negative. All other 159 blocks of non-neoplastic adult and fetal tissues were negative. The antibody was also affinity purified from ascitic fluid, and shown not to inhibit the enzyme activity of prostatic acid phosphatase.     

Parents' Views about Special Provision for their Child with Severe or Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

This paper reports on the findings of a research study, conducted via a postal questionnaire, which aimed to elicit the wishes, needs and satisfaction with special educational provision of parents of children with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties. Parents' views regarding services received, type of housing and employment preferred for their child, present and future concerns are also reported. The results indicated that the majority of parents in the sample are generally satisfied with their child's current special school placement and do not want a change of placement. However, one in five parents did indicate a desire for a change of placement, with the preferred option being a special class in an ordinary school. A priority for their child's learning is communication skills. A desire for a high level of involvement in their child's education was indicated but, on the whole, parents did not achieve as high a level as they would wish. Parents were generally satisfied with services received but a significant proportion expressed a desire for additional services. In terms of the future, the majority of parents expect that their child is unlikely to live or work independently or semi-independently as an adult. The paper concludes by discussing ways of enhancing parents' involvement in the decision-making process regarding special provision for their child.