THE ROLE OF SERUM FACTORS IN THE LYMPHOCYTE TRANSFORMATION TEST OF CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LEUKAEMIA

ABSTRACT. Révész, T., Szigeti, R. and Schuler, D. (Second Department of Paediatrics, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary). The role of serum factors in the lymphocyte transformation test of children with acute leukaemia. Acta Paediatr Scand, 63: 715, 1974.—PHA-induced lymphocyte transformation tests were carried out in 14 children who were in full remission of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and in 12 controls. Stimulation was assessed on the basis of tritiated thymidine uptake. For an adequate testing of lymphocyte reactivity, dose-response curves were established for each child. No significant difference could be observed in either the maximum response, or the shape of the curve, between the leukaemic and the control groups. Supplementation of the culture medium with autologous plasma instead of AB serum did not result in any significant inhibition or stimulation of lymphocyte reactivity to PHA. The lymphocyte response of both leukaemic and control children, however, was greatly reduced when sera from untreated leukaemic children was used. Allogeneic sera drawn from patients in remission exerted little or no inhibitory effect, while that obtained in relapse was again more inhibitory. The observed effect was not due to cytotoxic antibodies, nor due to natural iso-antibodies, but is thought to be a phenomenon closely connected with the active phase of malignant diseases. The exact nature of the agent is still far from being clarified at present.     

差示分光光度法测定牛黄类中成药中胆红素的含量

本文利用胆红素溶液在光照下易氧化变色及其吸收光谱发生显著变化的性质,在波长453 nm处,测其光照前后的吸收度差值(△A),△A与胆红素溶液浓度呈线性关系,对含牛黄的中成药(六应丸,六神丸和牛黄消炎丸)中胆红素进行了定量,并对其它组分进行了光照试验,排除了光照对其它组分的影响,从而确定了此法的可行性。     

压电频移中和萃取法测定微克量枸橼酸维静宁

用涂圈压电石英晶体频移一中和萃取法测定枸橼酸维静宁(咳必清),检出限0.02μg,在0.05～1.6μg范围内呈线性,相关系数0.999,变异系数为2.3%。与经典的中和萃取法相比,本法具有明显的优越性。     

Reversal of renovascular hypertension by antibodies specific for angiotensin-converting enzyme.

Goat antibodies developed against pure rabbit pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme (peptidyl dipeptidase, EC 3.4.15.1) were administered intravenously to rats with two-kidney Goldblatt hypertension and to normotensive animals. In the hypertensive model these antibodies were associated with a sustained, immune-dependent decrease of blood pressure to normal values. A smaller, but also immune-specific, reduction of blood pressure was observed in the normotensive group. The data suggest that heterologous antibody directed against angiotensin-converting enzyme may provide a biologically specific probe for examining the contribution of the renin-angiotensin system to normal and pathologic circulatory states.     

Rosenthal fibers formation in the central nervous system its relation to Alexander's disease

Summary Subpial and subependymal gliosis with abundant Rosenthal fiber (RF) formation are described in two patients. In one, the process appeared as a narrow band over the entire neuraxis and was not accompanied by neurologic manifestations. In the other, the changes were mostly restricted to the lower medulla and upper cervical cord and displayed invasive features. The glial proliferation with RF in the second patient was associated with an inflammatory component, dense collagen deposition, perivascular Schwannosis and demyelination. Involvement of some of the medullary nuclei and their tracts may explain the patient's vague bulbar symptomatology. The underlying cause which led to astrocytic proliferation with excessive RF in these two patients remains elusive. Possible factors contributing to this phenomenon are discussed in the context of Alexander's disease.This work is supported in part by grant NS-07098     

Myeloma protein synthesis within the CNS by plasma cell tumors

Two patients had centrl nervous system involvement from plasma cell tumor, onr with leptomeningeal infiltraion and the other with solitary intracranial plasmacytoma. In both, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) electrophoresis revealed IgG index consistent with local synthesi of the myeloma protein. the CSF findings were helpful in the diagnosis and evaluation of tumor recurrence.     

Epidemiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome

From 1969 through 1972, a nationwide search for cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is Israel revealed 89 patients. The average annual age-adjusted incidence was 0.75 per 10(5) persons. Overall incidence of the syndrome was similar in Jewish groups of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Arabs had a lower overall incidence than Jews (0.46 per 10(5) persons), perhaps attributable to fewer Arabs at risk in older age groups. Peaks of incidence occurred among individuals over 60 and under 4 years of age when all cases were combined. No clear seasonal or geographic clustering of GBS was evident in Israel during the 4 years of this study. The incidence of GBS in the present study agrees with previous population-based estimates.