Wheat Germ Agglutinin is Mitogenic, Non-Mitogenic and Anti-Mitogenic for Human Lymphocytes

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) was found to stimulate DNA synthesis in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells at relatively low concentrations and to inhibit DNA synthesis at higher concentrations. Both actions were inhibited by oligomers of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Significant mitogenic activity was dependent on the use of human (as opposed to fetal calf) serum to supplement the culture medium. Purified T cells responded to WGA very weakly and the incorporation of thymidine into non-T cells in response to WGA was less than the lectin-free control. The full ability of T cells to respond to WGA was restored by the addition of monocytes, but not by any other blood cells. Interleukin 2 partially restored the ability of T cells to respond to WGA; interleukin 1 was less effective. WGA displayed a strong synergistic action with the tumour promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA), in stimulating DNA synthesis in separated T (but not non-T) cell fractions, and in unfractioned mononuclear cells. These results reconcile most of the conflicting reports in the literature concerning the interaction of WGA with human lymphocytes.     

Growth of children from 0-5 years: with special reference to mother's smoking in pregnancy

A cohort of 1163 pregnant women in two small towns in South Wales, UK, was identified and followed until the children born to them were five years of age. Growth in these children is described and a number of determinants identified. Social-class differences were very small at birth but differences in height became clear by the age of two years and in head circumference before this. In height the differences were largely accounted for by greater growth in social class I, but there was a gradient in head circumference throughout all the social classes. The social class effects gradually increased as the children became older. Parity of the mothers had a small effect on size at birth but age of the mother had no effect once parity was allowed for. Data on illnesses in the children were collected but no effect on growth could be detected. By far the most important determinant of growth which could be controlled is maternal smoking. About 40% of the women smoked, about 17% heavily (15 or more cigarettes per day) and the prevalence of smoking altered little during pregnancy. There was a graded effect of smoking on growth up to a 9% deficit in birth-weight, a 2% deficit in length at birth and a 1.5% deficit in head circumference in the babies born to the mothers who smoked most heavily (25 or more cigarettes per day) compared with non-smokers. There effects decreased with age but there were still residual effects at age five years.     

Activity of newer beta-lactam agents against clinical isolates of Bacteroides fragilis and other Bacteroides species.

The in vitro activities of beta-lactam antibiotics against Bacteroides fragilis and B. fragilis group isolates are presented. Clinical isolates from 1986 were compared with strains from 1979 to 1982. Imipenem, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, and ceftizoxime were the most active agents. Cefotetan was equivalent to cefoxitin against B. fragilis but less active against B. fragilis group isolates. Enhancement of cefotaxime by its desacetyl metabolite was minimal.     

Prophylactic long-term oral tocolysis of multiple pregnancies

After admission to hospital for bed rest, 200 women with multiple pregnancies were randomly allocated to receive either 4 mg of salbutamol orally five times daily, or to receive no drug. After an average of 6 weeks treatment, no difference between the experimental groups could be detected with respect to duration of gestation, birthweight or any other of the outcomes of pregnancy observed.