Are serum antibody, complement or K-cell dependent cellular cytotoxicity involved in corneal graft rejection?

Having shown that complement independent cellular cytotoxicity (CICC) plays a part in destroying the donor cell we wished to see if serum antibody cytotoxicity (SAC), complement dependent cellular cytotoxicity (CDCC) or K-cell mediated cellular cytotoxicity (KCC) might not also be involved in the rejection of corneal grafts. Rabbits were grafted with allo- and xenogreneic corneas. At various times, lymphoid cells and sera were collected from a recipient and a control animal. The donor's corneal cells and those of the control animal were cultivated in vitro, and then labelled with 51chromium. The recipient and control lymphoid cells and sera and/or complement were mixed with the labelled cells. A 51chromium release assay was done after incubation. The test was negative for SAC, CDCC, and KCC and we feel that they have no major part in the rejection of corneal grafts.     

External skeletal fixation using methylmethacrylate. Current technique, clinical results, and indications

External skeletal fixation using self-curing acrylic resin was applied by inserting A-O cortical screws into the diaphyseal region and A-O cancellous screws into the epiphyseal and/or metaphyseal regions. The position of the screws was designed to secure three-dimensional fixation. Points of insertion are selected that avoid infected bone, open wounds, thick muscles, and skin that is relatively mobile during joint motion. After reduction the acrylic resin rather than conventional metal linking devices is used for fixation of the screws. Once the fixation is completed, it is adjustable and so rigid that exercises for joint function are possible. The apparatus is light in weight and sufficiently compact to fit under clothing. In the 204 patients treated by this method, open tibial fractures occurred in 123; nonunion or delayed union in 28; metaphyseal and epiphyseal fractures in 30; femoral fractures in ten children; and miscellaneous fractures and other conditions in 13. Nearly all of the operations were successful. Three patients had refractures after removal of the fixation device.     

A Novel Monoclonal Antibody against Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The monoclonal antibody, INS-2, was raised against rat fibroblasts transformed by open reading frames E6 and E7 of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. In immunoperoxidase testing of frozen sections, the INS-2 antibody was reactive with all squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix and esophagus tested. In contrast, no antibody binding was detected with adenocarcinomas of various origins. Similarly, normal tissues, lymphoid cells and erythrocytes from multiple donors were negative, except that binding localized at basal cells in normal squamous epithelium was observed. Interestingly, strong staining was observed in dysplastic cells of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and at the growing edge of squamous cell carcinomas. The antigen for the INS-2 antibody is a non-sialyl glycoprotein with Mw. 40,000 and appears to be a squamous cell-specific cell differentiation marker, although it is not related to HPV-DNA-derived protein.     

SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDIES OF DERMAL SKIN AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISORDERS

By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), three dimensional structures of the matrixes and fibrous components in human dermal skin, scleromyxedema, systemic lupus erythematodes (SLE), progresive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and amyloidosis cutis were observed. SEM pictures were compared with those from conventional transmission electron microscopy and histochemistry. In human dermal skin and scleromyxedema, the matrixes were not fixed in glutaraldehyde and osmic acid. FAC fixation was employed in these specimens. After fixing specimens, streptomyces hyaluronidase digestion was made and examined by the SEM. In human dermis and scleromyxedema, hyarulonic acid occurred between collagen and elastic fibers. In systemic lupus erythematodes and progresive systemic sclerosis, specimens were fixed in glutaraldehyde and osmic acid, and examined in the same way. In SLE, collagen fibers were dissociated and the normal wavy pattern was lost. In PSS, abnormally increased branching fibers were observed. In amyloidosis cutis, amyloid fibrils were not observed by conventional SEM. Specimens were dehydrated in a critical point dryer and examined by the field emission scanning microscope. Amyloid fibrils were interwoven in a felt-like fashion.     

Formation of hydroxyapatite in hydrogels from tetracalcium phosphate/dicalcium phosphate mixtures

Apatitic calcium phosphate cements, formed by the ambient reaction of tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) with dicalcium phosphates (DCP), have been recently reported. H2O or dilute aq. H3PO4 (0.2%) is used as the liquid vehicle for this reaction. The aim of this study was to ascertain if hydroxyapatite (HAp) can form in self-cured hydrogel composites containing TTCP/DCP mixes. The setting times (ST) and diametral tensile strengths (DTS) of these hydrogel composites were also determined. The hydrogels were of two types: (1) vinyl thermosets derived from the copolymerization of HEMA (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and cross-linking monomers, and (2) polyelectrolyte-based hydrogels formed from aq. poly(alkenoic acids), e.g., poly(acrylic acid). Cylindrical specimens 6 mm D x 3 mm H were prepared and stored in H2O for up to 30 days. The HEMA composites were hardened in 7-15 min by free radical initiation (benzoyl peroxide/tertiary aromatic amine). The polyelectrolyte cements were hardened in 6-8 min. After various periods of storage in H2O at 37 degrees C, some of the specimens were examined by X-ray spectroscopy for HAp. HAp formation was not observed in the HEMA composites even after 30 days of H2O storage but was detected in the polyacid cements. The 24-h DTS values of the HEMA composites (14-26 MPa) were higher than those of the polyacid cements (7-12 MPa). Both the H2O content and pH may thus be factors controlling the rate and extent of HAp formation in hydrogel composites containing TTCP/DCP mixtures.     

Studies on the structure activity relationship of adrenergic beta-mimetic benzylamine derivatives.

Appropriately substituted benzylamine (BZA) derivatives, fragmented derivatives of tetrahydroisoquinolines, were found to be directly acting adrenergic beta-stimulants, exhibiting tracheal relaxing, positive chronotropic and free fatty acid (FFA) releasing activities. The chemical structures essential for manifestation of the beta-action were i) 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamine, ii) arylmethyl group at position alpha, iii) lower alkyl group on the N atom. The structure activity relationships of BZA-derivatives were almost similar to, but partly different from those of tetrahydroisoquinoline- and catecholamine-derivatives. The tracheal relaxing, positive chronotropic and FFA-releasing actions of alpha-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl)-N-methyl-3,4-dihydroxybenzylamine, the most active compound in the BZA-derivatives tested, were approximately one-hundred, thirty and fifty times less active than those of ISO, respectively. These results indicate that this compound is beta1-selective, while trimetoquinol is beta2-selective.     

A Case Simulating Ophthalomoplegic Migraine: Clinicopathological Study

SYNOPSIS
We describe a 61-year-old woman with unilateral ophthalmoplegia with migraine type headache. Pathological examination revealed severe atrophy of the third cranial nerve as the result of vascular compression by the atheromatous posterior cerebral artery. Although the exact pathogenesis of ophthalmoplegic migraine (OM) is uncertain at the present time, this unique case with clinical and pathological observations suggests that vascular compression and the resulting ischemia of the third cranial nerve can closely simulate OM.