Antibiotics produced by Streptomyces olivaceus 142. III. Influence of antibiotic Wr 142 FPG on development of transplantable tumors in mice

The action of two preparations (I and II) of antibiotic Wr 142 FPG on development of Ehrlich carcinoma, Nemeth-Kellner lymphoma and leukemias L 1210 and P 388 was studied. Preparation I injected s.c. daily during 14 days in doses of 10 mg/kg (1/25 LD50) inhibited growth of Ehrlich carcinoma and Nemeth-Kellner lymphoma subcutaneous tumors in R 3 mice by about 70%. The same preparation in a single i.p. injection (10 mg/kg) in FDF1 mice distinctly prolonged survival of mice inoculated with L 1210 leukemia, but was without effect on P 388 leukemia. Preparation II inhibited growth of solid tumors in doses as low as 0.1-0.2 mg/kg (about 65% inhibition), but in the same doses was ineffective against leukemias L 1210 and P 388 in CDF1 mice.     

Monoclonal antibody Leu-22 (L60) permits the demonstration of some neoplastic T cells in routinely fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections

Monoclonal antibody Leu-22 (L60) detects a T cell-associated antigen which is stably expressed in routinely fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections. We investigated the utility of monoclonal antibody Leu-22 to immunophenotype routinely processed lymphoid neoplasms by determining its reactivity in 105 archival pathologic specimens of lymphoid neoplasia that had been previously immunophenotyped by standard cell suspension and frozen tissue section techniques. Monoclonal antibody Leu-22 reacted with 69% of T cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs), including cases belonging to each of the major clinicopathologic categories, and with 22% of B cell NHLs, but did not react with the Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells of Hodgkin's disease (HD). We concluded that monoclonal antibody Leu-22 reacts preferentially but not exclusively with T cell NHLs. Therefore, we performed parallel analyses of the same 105 cases with monoclonal antibodies leukocyte common antigen (LCA), Leu-M1, LN1, and LN2, which detect various paraffin-resistant antigens, and of 80 of these cases with monoclonal antibody UCHL1, which detects a paraffin-resistant T cell-associated antigen. UCHL1 reacted with 61% of the T cell NHLs studied. Sixty-nine percent of T cell NHLs expressed the LCA+, Leu-22+ or Leu-M1+, LN1- phenotype and 47% of B cell NHLs expressed the LCA+, Leu-22-, Leu-M1-, LN1+ phenotype. These phenotypes had a false-positive rate of only 7%. The substitution of UCHL1 for Leu-22 or the combined use of UCHL1 and Leu-22 in this panel did not improve our ability to correctly predict the T cell phenotype of these lymphoid neoplasms. LN1 and LN2 reacted with 13% and 56% of T cell NHLs, respectively, and LN2 reacted with RS cells in 85% of cases of HD. In summary, our results demonstrate that the judicious use of monoclonal antibody Leu-22 in combination with other selected commercially available monoclonal antibodies permits the determination of the B cell or T cell origin of a high proportion of NHLs, and is helpful in the differential diagnosis between HD and NHL among cases that have been routinely fixed and paraffin-embedded.     

The Impact of Culturally-Centered Care on Peripartum Experiences of Autonomy and Respect in Community Birth Centers: A Comparative Study

Maternal and Child Health Journal - National studies report that birth center care is associated with reduced racial and ethnic disparities and reduced experiences of mistreatment. In the US, there...     

Patient-Reported Outcomes as Independent Prognostic Factors for Survival in Oncology: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ObjectivesAssessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in oncology is of critical importance because it provides unique information that may also predict clinical outcomes.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of prognostic factor studies to examine the prognostic value of PROs for survival in cancer. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed for studies published between 2013 and 2018. We considered any study, regardless of the research design, that included at least 1 PRO domain in the final multivariable prognostic model. The protocol (EPIPHANY) was published and registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42018099160).ResultsEligibility criteria selected 138 studies including 158 127 patients, of which 43 studies were randomized, controlled trials. Overall, 120 (87%) studies reported at least 1 PRO to be statistically significantly prognostic for overall survival. Lung (n = 41, 29.7%) and genitourinary (n = 27, 19.6%) cancers were most commonly investigated. The prognostic value of PROs was investigated in secondary data analyses in 101 (73.2%) studies. The EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire was the most frequently used measure, and its physical functioning scale (range 0-100) the most frequent independent prognostic PRO, with a pooled hazard ratio estimate of 0.88 per 10-point increase (95% CI 0.84-0.92).ConclusionsThere is convincing evidence that PROs provide independent prognostic information for overall survival across cancer populations and disease stages. Further research is needed to translate current evidence-based data into prognostic tools to aid in clinical decision making.     

Tula Virus as Causative Agent of Hantavirus Disease in Immunocompetent Person,Germany

We report molecular evidence of Tula virus infection in an immunocompetent patient from Germany who had typical signs of hantavirus disease. Accumulating evidence indicates that Tula virus infection, although often considered nonpathogenic, represents a threat to human health.     

Immunoregulatory properties of the proteins present in human milk

The immunoregulatory properties of several proteins, isolated from human milk, were investigated. Secretory component and galactothermin exhibited immunoregulatory activities in the in vivo and in vitro assays, generating helper cells, changing the ARFC levels and the resistance of thymocytes to hydrocortisone (HC). In addition, the immunoregulatory action of the P protein and its four fractions was studied. The bulk of the activity was found in the fraction II and III. The results suggest that the postneonatal development of the mammalian immune system is under the surveillance of various immunoregulatory proteins contained in maternal secretory fluids.     

The influence of parental drinking and closeness on adolescent drinking

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the relationship of parental drinking and adolescent's closeness to parents to adolescent drinking behavior by focusing on three related issues: (1) the independent effects of parental drinking and closeness to parents on adolescent drinking, (2) the mediating role of closeness to parents for the effect of parental drinking, and (3) their interactive effects. METHOD: The issues were addressed with use of data from 378 respondents in a random-digit dialing sample of 625 male adolescents at age range 16 to 19 in the Buffalo area. Mother's and father's drinking and adolescent's closeness to mother and father were measured separately. Regression analyses were used to assess the effects of these measures on adolescent drinking regarding the three related issues. RESULTS: Only father's drinking has a direct effect on adolescent drinking. Although closeness to mother is a significant protection against adolescent drinking, mother's drinking has no effect on closeness to mother. In contrast, father's drinking has a significant effect on closeness to father, but closeness to father has no direct effect on adolescent drinking. Therefore, there is no mediating role of closeness to parents for the effect of parental drinking. Finally, there is an interaction between mother's drinking and closeness to mother, which indicates that adolescents whose mothers are heavy drinkers and who have low closeness to their mothers drink more heavily. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that for the mother and the father there are different patterns of the relationship between parental drinking and closeness at work in explaining adolescent drinking.