Accuracy of Spring and Strain Gauge Hand-held Dynamometers

The accuracy of two spring gauge and two strain gauge hand-held dynamometers was determined using certified weights. Each dynamometer, which had extensive prior use, was vertically loaded with the certified weights in 5 lb increments from 5-55 lbs. Analysis of variance was used to compare the actual certified weights with the weights measured by each dynamometer. Additionally, Pearson product moment correlations were calculated between the weights measured by each device. The two spring gauge dynamometers measured comparably as did the two strain gauge dynamometers. Only the two strain gauge dynamometers, however, registered (measured) weights not differing significantly from the actual weights with which they were loaded. The correlations between each device's measurements were 0.98 or above. If the dynamometers tested are indicative, strain gauge dynamometers may be more accurate than spring gauge dynamometers after extensive use. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1989;10(8):323-325.     

Immunolymphoscintigraphy for the detection of lymph node metastases from breast cancer

The presence of metastases in the regional lymph nodes is the major prognostic factor in breast cancer in the absence of overt distant metastases and is also an important indicator of the need for adjuvant therapy in "early" breast cancer. Currently, the accurate assessment of axillary lymph node status requires axillary dissection which has an associated morbidity. An alternative method of identifying patients who are "node positive" has been developed by means of immunolymphoscintigraphy with s.c. administered radioiodinated monoclonal antibody. The 131I-labeled anti-breast cancer antibody (RCC-1; 400 micrograms) and cold iodine-labeled "blocking" antibody (Ly-2.1; 2 mg which is nonreactive with breast cancer) were injected s.c. into both arms and scintigraphy images were obtained 16-18 h after the injection, using the axilla contralateral to the side of the breast cancer as the control. Studies were reported as positive (and therefore indicative of lymph node metastases) if the amount of background-subtracted radioactive count in the axilla of interest exceeded the normal side by a radio equal to or greater than 1.5:1.0 as assessed by computer analysis. In 38 of 40 patients the findings on scintigraphy were correlated with operative and histopathological findings on the axillary dissection specimen or cytological findings of fine needle aspiration of axillary lymph nodes. In a prospective study of 26 patients, the method is more sensitive (86%) and specific (92%) than preoperative clinical assessment (57% sensitivity, 58% specificity) in the detection of axillary lymph node metastases; and by combining both modalities of assessment, there was an improvement in the sensitivity (100%) but a deterioration in the specificity (50%). There was no significant complication from this essentially outpatient procedure and only 1 of 40 patients developed a human anti-mouse antibody response. This novel and safe method of imaging may become a most useful adjunct in the surgical management of breast cancer.     

Phenotypic differences within the AB blood type of the feline AB blood group system

Flow cytometry immunolabeling, tube agglutination tests, and thin-layer chromatography immunostaining with two different anti-A monoclonal antibodies (anti-A mAb1 and anti-A mAb2) and one anti-B mAb were used to demonstrate differences in expression of the A and B antigens among erythrocytes from type A and four different type AB cats. Although the flow cytometric patterns of reactivity and agglutination scores for erythrocytes from types A and B cats detected with the anti-A and anti-B mAbs were consistent, reactivity among erythrocytes of different type AB cats was variable. By flow cytometric analysis, 99.9% of type A erythrocytes, no type B erythrocytes, 2.5–4.0% of erythrocytes from type AB cats 1, 3, and 4, and 60.7% of erythrocytes from type AB cat 2 had detectable A antigen when anti-A mAb1 was used. In contrast, 86.4% of type A erythrocytes, no type B erythrocytes, 20.2–38.0% of erythrocytes from type AB cats 1, 3, and 4, and 68.5% of erythrocytes from type AB cat 2 had detectable A antigen when anti-A mAb2 was used. In addition, 86.9% of type B erythrocytes, no type A erythrocytes, 83.1–96.8% of erythrocytes from type AB cats 1, 3, and 4, and 73.0% of erythrocytes from type AB cat 2 had detectable B antigen when the anti-B mAb was used. Agglutination scores of type AB cats were comparable to the percent binding on flow cytometry. Thin-layer chromatography immunostains confirmed differences in the amount of A antigen between erythrocyte glycolipids of type A and AB cats and those of type AB cats 1 and 2. These results suggest that at least two different phenotypes exist within the feline AB blood type, which differ in the amount of A antigen expressed on the erythrocyte surface.     

Detection of cytomegalovirus infection during a vaccine clinical trial in healthy young women: seroconversion and viral shedding.

BACKGROUND: An antibody method based on absorption of serum with cytomegalovirus (CMV) glycoprotein B (gB) was developed for detection of infection during clinical trials of CMV gB vaccine. Previous study showed that this method detected the antibody response to infection and was negative with vaccine induced immunity. OBJECTIVES: In an ongoing efficacy trial of CMV gB vaccine the ability of the gB-absorbed CMV IgG assay to detect CMV infection was assessed and compared with viral culture results. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred and ninety two healthy, seronegative young women in a phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of recombinant CMV gB vaccine (sanofi pasteur) with MF59 adjuvant (Chiron) were randomized to receive CMV gB vaccine or placebo (1:1) on a 0, 1 and 6 month schedule. Participants were screened every 3 months for CMV infection using the gB-absorbed CMV IgG assay, and a subgroup was also screened for infection with viral cultures. Viral culture (urine, vaginal swab and saliva) was used to confirm CMV infection in all subjects with a positive gB-absorbed CMV IgG result. RESULTS: Evidence of CMV infection (gB-absorbed CMV IgG levels>or=5.0 AU/ml) was found in 23/292 (7.88%) study participants. The gB-absorbed CMV IgG levels of their first positive serum ranged from 15.7 to 251.0 AU/ml with a mean of 77.0 AU/ml and a median of 44.9 AU/ml. Cytomegalovirus was isolated from all 23 of them from culture specimens collected after their first positive gB-absorbed CMV IgG. The time to first CMV positive culture from first positive gB-absorbed CMV IgG ranged from 0 to 12 weeks with a median of 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The gB-absorbed CMV IgG assay detects CMV infection in CMV gB vaccine clinical trials earlier and more rapidly than virus culture and does not reveal whether subjects received CMV gB vaccine or placebo.     

Preparation of primary monolayer cultures of mouse pancreatic epithelial cells

Summary We describe a technique using normal and diabetic (dbdb) mice to establish primary pancreatic cultures that spread and assume a characteristic epithelial morphology. These cultures contain 4 to 7% beta cells, secrete insulin in response to stimuli for 10 to 14 d, contain few fibroblasts, and have a cell viability that is greater than 95%. The cells attach firmly to glass cover slips and are ideal for the study of insulin secretory granules or contractile proteins using indirect immunofluorescence.     

Influence of neonatal short-term reduction in brainstem alpha2A-adrenergic receptors on receptor ontogenesis, acoustic startle reflex, and prepulse inhibition in rats

Neonatal treatments can disrupt prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle response later in life. Alpha2A-adrenergic receptors (alpha2A-ARs) regulate the release of brain neurotransmitters that may influence PPI. The authors examined the effects of short-term reduction in the neonatal brainstem alpha2A-ARs on subsequent development of this receptor system and acoustic startle reflex in rats. Administration of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide complementary to the alpha2A-ARs on Days 2-4 of life reduced receptor expression in the brainstem by Day 5. The treatment increased alpha2-AR numbers in the cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala at 40 days of age, and in cortex and hypothalamus at 90 days of age. Transient increases in hippocampal and amygdalar alpha2-ARs were accompanied by attenuation of acoustic startle response and impairment of PPI.     

Optimal control of FES-assisted standing up in paraplegia using genetic algorithms

A practical system for Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) assisted standing up in paraplegia should involve only a minimum of manual set up and tuning. An improved tuning method, using a genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed and demonstrated using computer simulation. Specifically, the GA adjusts the parameters of fuzzy logic (FL) and gain-scheduling proportional integral derivative (GS-PID) controllers that electrically stimulate the hip and knee musculature during the sit-stand maneuver. These new GA designed controllers were found to be effective in coordinating volitional and FES control according to formulated criteria. The latter was based on the deviations from a desired trajectory of the knee and hip joints and the magnitude of the voluntary upper body forces. The magnitude of the average arm forces were slightly higher when compared with the open-loop maximal stimulation of the hip and knee musculature; however, the terminal knee velocities were significantly reduced to less than 10 degrees /s. For practical implementation, the number of trials required to optimize the FL and GS-PID controllers can be reduced by a proposed pre-training procedure using a computer model scaled to the individual. The GA designed controllers remain near optimal provided the model-subject mismatch is small.     

Routine antenatal screening for hepatitis B using pooled sera: validation and review of 10 years experience.

AIMS: To validate the sensitivity of universal antenatal screening for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by testing pools of 10 sera, and to review 10 years' experience using this method. METHODS: 66,945 antenatal patients were tested between 1986 and 1996 using the pooled method. All sera from 1996 (n = 6050) were retrieved and retrospectively tested individually. An in vitro determination of the effect of pooling on sensitivity was performed by checkerboard neutralisation assay. RESULTS: 26 HBsAg positive women were detected by universal screening over 10 years; 12 had non-European surnames and five had known risk factors for hepatitis B infection. High titre anti-HBs sera in the pool reduced the sensitivity of the HBsAg assay, though the effect was only significant at low levels of HBsAg carriage. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hepatitis B is extremely low in the antenatal population served by Plymouth PHL. Pooling is unlikely to reduce sensitivity enough to lead to significant preventable vertical transmission, and is a cost-effective and valid strategy in areas of low seroprevalence.     

Trends in HIV prevalence among public sexually transmitted disease clinic attendees in the Western region of the United States (1989-1999)

OBJECTIVES: Using data from anonymous unlinked testing of routinely collected sera, trends in HIV are compared among sexually transmitted disease patients in 4 Western urban centers. METHODS: Between 1989 and 1999, remnant sera obtained for routine syphilis testing from 256,819 patient visits to Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle clinics were tested for HIV antibodies in an unlinked survey. HIV antibody test results were linked to anonymous demographic and risk information abstracted from the medical record. RESULTS: Overall cumulative HIV seroprevalences among women and among men who had sex exclusively with women were < or = 2%, declined over time, and did not exceed 8% among those who injected drugs. In contrast, cumulative HIV seroprevalences among men who have sex with men ranged from 13% in Seattle to 30% in San Francisco and declined a mean of 2.1% (95% CI, 1.6, 2.6) to 2.8% (CI 2.6, 3.1) per year, after adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: HIV infection declined over time across counties. Relative levels of HIV differed little by demographic and behavioral risk group despite differences in the severity of each county's epidemic. Because of the unique contribution of unlinked serosurveillance studies in monitoring these trends, their reinstitution in high-risk settings should be considered.