Immunoscintigraphy in the detection of tuberculosis with radiolabelled antibody fragment against Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin: a preliminary study in a rabbit model.

Immunoscintigraphy with radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies is widely used to detect solid tumours, but only a few trials have been carried out concerning the specific in vivo localization of an inflammatory process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the detectability of tuberculous foci utilizing this method with radiolabelled bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-specific F(ab')2 in rabbits. All of the tuberculous lesions (n = 8) were clearly visualized on serial scintigraphy for up to 48 h after injection of the antibody. Immunohistochemical and Ziel-Neelson staining of the tuberculous lesions confirmed the presence of the tuberculous antigens and bacilli. It failed to demonstrate any sustained retention of the BCG-specific antibody fragment in the control group with syphilitic orchitis (n = 2). Therefore, the specific in vivo localization of tuberculosis is feasible by immunoscintigraphy.     

Differential sodium fluoride sensitivity of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase in human, bovine, canine, and murine monocytes and lymphocytes.

The sensitivity of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity of human, bovine, canine, and murine leukocytes to low (42 micrograms/ml incubation mixture) and high (1.5 mg/ml incubation mixture) concentrations of sodium fluoride (NaF) was compared. The ANAE activity of bovine and canine monocytes was only slightly inhibited by the low concentration of NaF, whereas that of murine peritoneal macrophages was moderately inhibited and that of human monocytes was completely inhibited. Human and canine monocytic ANAE was completely inhibited by the high concentration of NaF, whereas the ANAE activity in 1% of bovine monocytes and murine peritoneal macrophages was not inhibited. The ANAE activity of human and murine lymphocytes in nonenriched venous blood samples showed no or negligible NaF sensitivity to the low concentration of NaF, whereas bovine lymphocytic ANAE showed slight and canine lymphocytic ANAE moderate NaF sensitivity. The ANAE of murine T-lymphoma L5178Y cells was resistant to the low concentration of NaF, but the ANAE of both murine T-lymphoma L5178Y cells and murine lymphocytes was completely inhibited by the high concentration of NaF. Human, bovine, and canine lymphocytic ANAE showed marked NaF sensitivity toward the high concentration of NaF, showing 73%, 86%, and 93% inhibition, respectively. The neutrophils in murine venous blood and ascites were positive for ANAE activity, which was only slightly inhibited by the low concentration of NaF but completely inhibited by the high concentration. Results of this investigation demonstrate that the ANAE of leukocytes of various species show remarkable differences in its sensitivity to low and high concentrations of NaF, indicating that appropriate concentrations of NaF are required for distinguishing the ANAE of lymphocytes and monocytes of different species.     

Autoantibodies to Serum Proteins in Women with Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion: Subsequent Pregnancy Outcome

Sera from 130 first trimester pregnant women were tested for their serum antibody level against a naturally occurring serum antigen purified from non-pregnancy sera. IgG and IgM antibody level was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. Results indicate that patients with multiple abortion (n=26) have significantly (p=0.0029) lower level of IgG antibody and significantly (p=0.0001) higher level of IgM antibodies; against the serum antigen as compared to the patients with successful pregnancies with no history of miscarriage (n=63). Western blot analysis identified the scrum antigen recognized by the IgM antibody as a 24 kDa molecular mass component. These IgG and IgM antibodies may play an important role in the outcome of pregnancy.     

体外循环对瓣膜置换术病人血细胞胰岛素受体和红细胞ATP含量的影响

目的：观察体外循环（ＣＰＢ）对１０例瓣膜置换术病人全血细胞胰岛素受体和红细胞ＡＴＰ含量的影响。方法：利用放射配体结合试验，测定全血细胞胰岛素受体密度和亲和力；用高效液相色谱法测定红细胞ＡＴＰ含量，同时监测血糖和胰岛素浓度。结果：转流３０分钟，血细胞高亲和胰岛素受体（Ｒ１）密度明显增加（Ｐ＜０．０１），亲和力（Ｋ１）明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０１），低亲和胰岛素受体（Ｒ２）密度也明显增加（Ｐ＜０．０１），但亲和力（Ｋ２）变化不大（Ｐ＞０．０５）；停机３０分钟，上述变化有所恢复，但未到转流前的水平。转流３０分钟红细胞ＡＴＰ含量明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０１），并持续到停机后３０分钟，同时伴随血糖明显升高（Ｐ＜０．０１），胰岛素／血糖比值明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论：ＣＰＢ可致血细胞胰岛素受体密度增加而亲和力下降，以及红细胞ＡＴＰ含量下降。     

Pharmacological action of Adenophora polysaccharides

Adenophora polysaccharides (AP), is an active principle extracted from the root of Adenophorae Potaninii Korsh originated in Gansu Province and isolated with boiling water(1). AP is isolated and purified from the crude drug by DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-200 column, with a white powder and mean molecular weight of 8.3 × 104 , and [α]D20of AP is 68(1). AP is only composed of glucose judging from the analysis of it with patina chromatography (PC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) methods.The methylation analysis showed that AP is composed of (1→6) linked glucose residues. The measure of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR) 1H NMR and 14C NMR techniques further proved that AP is α(l→6) linked by Dglucose. The structure of AP is as follows: -[→6]α-D-Glu(1-)n→ (2).     

Transvaginal sonography in the morphological and functional assessment of segmental dilation of the distal ureter.

Primary megaureter presents a spectrum of findings ranging from mild, clinically unimportant, stable ureterectasis to severe, progressive obstructive hydroureteronephrosis. We report a patient with a double uterus and ipsilateral renal dystrophy. A previous imaging study had revealed a double uterus and obstructed left hemivagina, into which a single vaginal ectopic ureter inserted. On follow-up intravenous urography 8 years later, the left kidney was non-functioning, and there was segmental dilation of the distal right ureter. Transvaginal sonography with real-time scanning and Doppler were useful in exploring the morphological and functional status of this dilated distal ureter.     

The significance of a rapid cold hemagglutination test for detecting mycoplasma infections in children with asthma exacerbation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is a frequent cause of community-acquired respiratory infections in children and adults. However, standardized, rapid, specific methods for its diagnosis are lacking. The relationship between M. pneumoniae infection and asthma exacerbation has been recently discussed in the literature. We investigated the accuracy of rapid detection of mycoplasma infection by cold hemagglutination test compared to conventional enzyme immunoassays. The clinical characteristics of mycoplasma infection seen during emergent visits in asthmatic children were reviewed. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with asthma exacerbation visiting the Department of Pediatric Emergency, National Taiwan University Hospital, over a 12-month period. Subjects 2-18 years of age diagnosed with asthma at our outpatient clinic were included in this study. Patients with immunodeficiency, congenital anomalies, neurological diseases and irregular follow-up were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 269 children (174 males and 95 females) with a mean (+/- standard deviation) age of 6.15 +/- 3.08 years were included. The prevalence of asthma exacerbation in regular follow-up patients was 13.4%, and as many as 19.6% of cases (74/378 person-times) required hospitalization. Asthma attacks were most prevalent during December. 126 patients had both rapid cold hemagglutination testing and mycoplasma immunoglobulin M titers determined using acute blood samples drawn in the emergency room; 46 (36.5%) of these patients demonstrated mycoplasma infection. Sensitivity and specificity of the rapid cold hemagglutination test was 78.3% and 41.3%, respectively. The positive predictive value was 43.4%. Comparison of patients with or without mycoplasma infection revealed no differences in gender, age, chest X-ray findings, and most symptoms/signs and laboratory data, except that more signs of fever and auscultatory rales were seen in the non-mycoplasma infection group. CONCLUSIONS: Mycoplasma infections could be an exacerbating factor for asthma, and the rapid cold hemagglutination test should not be a guideline for prescribing macrolides in the emergency room.     

Activity of temocillin and other penicillins against beta-lactamase-inducible and -stably derepressed enterobacteria

MICs of temocillin, carbenicillin, ticarcillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin and ampicillin were determined for mutant series of Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii and Serratia marcescens with inducible, stably derepressed or basal expression of chromosomal Class I beta-lactamases. Ampicillin was inactive (MIC greater than 256 mg/l) both against beta-lactamase-inducible organisms (except C. freundii) and their stably derepressed mutants, whereas basal mutants were sensitive (MIC 2-8 mg/l). Carbenicillin, ticarcillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin (and ampicillin for C. freundii) were active against both inducible and basal organisms (MIC less than 16 mg/l), but inactive against the derepressed mutants (MICs usually greater than 64 mg/l). Temocillin inhibited all the organisms, including the stably derepressed mutants, at 16 mg/l. Derepressed S. marcescens, M. morganii and Pr. vulgaris were as susceptible as the inducible strains and basal mutants. MICs of temocillin for derepressed mutants of E. cloacae and C. freundii were 4-16 fold above those for their inducible parent strains, but remained within the clinical range.