Clearance and Glomerular Localization of Preformed DNP Anti-DNP Immune Complexes

The in vivo behaviour of well-defined immune complexes in rats was studied using complexes derived from DNP-conjugated bovine thyroglobulin (DNP-BTG) and purified specific goat anti-DNP IgG. Both clearance and glomerular localization were mainly dependent on the nature of the antigen. Soluble immune complexes formed with DNP17-BTG were cleared faster and showed a more marked localization in the glomerular mesangium than complexes formed with DNP3.4-BTG. A slight increase in the antibody to antigen ratio seemed to facilitate mesangial localization of soluble immune complexes. Insoluble immune complexes showed temporary localization as microemboli in the lumina of glomerular and peritubular capillaries. This study thus shows that not only the size and composition of the complexes but also the nature of the antigen within the complex can influence the clearance and organ localization of circulating immune complexes.     

神经外科中高渗盐注射液应用研究进展

控制脑水肿和颅内压(ICP)升高是神经外科围手术期治疗的重要组成部分.颅脑创伤、动脉梗塞、静脉高压/梗塞、大脑内出血、蛛网膜下腔出血、肿瘤和术后脑组织水肿的治疗过程中ICP的控制都是决定患者预后的关键因素.虽然利用渗透压脱水药物是控制ICP的最基础的工具,但却缺乏前瞻性研究以指导其运用,高渗盐被认为是甘露醇的替代物,早期的数据表明每种药的用药指征最终取决于ICP的病因.在这篇综述中,我们总结了有关高渗盐(HS)治疗颅内高压的相关数据,以及这些数据和我们有关HS的经验是如何指导目前的ICP治疗的.     

A scanning and transmission electron microscopic study of human nodular goitre

This paper is a concurrent scanning and transmission electron microscopic study of 13 cases of nodular goitre.     

Expression of phosphorylcholine-specific B cells during murine development

The TEPC 15 (T15) clonotype, a putatively germline antibody specificity, does not appear in the neonatal B-cell repertoire until approximately 1 wk of age. This report extends this observation by the demonstration that (a) the T15 clonotype follows similar kinetics of appearance in germfree as well as conventionally-reared mice; (b) maternal influences and genetic background play a minor role in the development of the T15 clonotype since CBFI neonates raised by C57BL/6 or BALB/c mothers acquire the T15 clonotype at the same time in ontogeny as BALB/c neonates; (c) the lack of phosphorylcholine (PC)-specific B cells shortly after birth is reflected in a dearth of PC-binding cells in the neonate as well; and (d) no PC-specifc B cells are found in 19-day fetal liver or in bone marrow until 7 days of life, coincident with their appearance in the spleen. These findings, along with a previous report that PC-specific splenic B cells are tolerizable as late as day 10 after birth, confirm the invariant, late occurrence of the T15 clonotype and support a highly- ordered, rigorously predetermined mechanism for the acquisition of the B- cell repertoire. The results are discussed in light of other studies on the ontogeny of B-cell specificity, and in terms of the implications on the mechanism by which antibody diversity is generated.     

Dental insurance,service use and health outcomes in Australia: a systematic review

Private health insurance plays a key role in financing dental care in Australia. Having private dental insurance has been associated with higher levels of access to dental care, visiting for a check‐up and receiving a favourable pattern of services. Associations with better oral health have also been reported. In the absence of any existing review, this paper aims to systematically review the relationship between dental insurance and dental service use and/or oral health outcomes in Australia. A systematic search of online databases and subsequent sifting resulted in 36 publications, 33 of which were cross sectional and three cohort analyses. Dental service outcomes were more commonly reported than oral health outcomes. There was considerable heterogeneity in the outcome measures reported, for both service use and health outcomes. Overall, the majority of the evidence was from cross sectional studies and few studies reported analyses adjusted for confounding factors. The consolidated evidence points towards a positive association between dental insurance and dental visiting. Dentally insured adults are likely to have more regular access to dental care and have a more favourable pattern of service use than the uninsured. However, evidence of associations between dental insurance and oral health are mixed.     

In vivo biologic effects of PIXY321, a synthetic hybrid protein of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-3 in cancer patients with normal hematopoiesis: a phase I study

PIXY321 is a novel fusion protein of recombinant human granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-3 that exhibits biologic effects of both its parent cytokines in vitro and in preclinical studies. To evaluate the clinical safety and hematopoietic effects of this hybrid cytokine, PIXY321 was administered by subcutaneous injection twice daily at doses of 25 to 1,000 micrograms/m2/day over 14 days to 24 patients with sarcoma before chemotherapy as part of a phase I trial. The treatment was associated with significant increases in white blood cell, neutrophil, platelet, and reticulocyte counts (all P < .001). The increase in neutrophil count was dose-related and was seen during treatment with the cytokine, whereas the increase in platelet count was gradual and peaked after the cessation of the cytokine treatment and was not clearly dose related. PIXY321 treatment also increased bone marrow (BM) cellularity and the percentage of BM cells in S phase (P < .001). In addition, there was a significant increase in the number of CD34+ cells and committed and multipotential progenitors in the peripheral blood. The ex vivo expansion capacity of peripheral blood and BM progenitor cells was preserved after the in vivo treatment with PIXY321. The treatment was well tolerated, with the most common side-effect being injection site reactions. The results of this study show the biologic and clinical activity of a genetically engineered fusion molecule of two hematopoietic cytokines in humans with normal hematopoietic function.     

Induction of immunoglobulin secretion in follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: role of immunoregulatory T cells

B cell neoplasms are clonal expansions of B lymphocytes thought to be frozen at various points along the normal B cell differentiation pathway. We studied cell suspensions from lymph nodes involved by follicular (nodular) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to determine the capacity of the malignant B cells to secrete immunoglobulin (Ig). Neoplastic B cells from all 14 follicular lymphomas secreted monoclonal immunoglobulin in culture when appropriate signals were provided. In most cases, maximal Ig secretion occurred when autologous T cells were removed by E rosette depletion, replaced with allogeneic normal T cells, and the cultures were exposed to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate. Autologous T cells exerted a suppressor effect on Ig secretion in 8/8 cases studied, diminishing the response of the malignant B cells to allogeneic T cells. This suppressor effect did not correlate with the percentage of cells staining with anti-Leu-2a or with "helper- suppressor" (Leu-3a-Leu-2a) ratios of the lymph node T cells. Our findings demonstrate that the arrested differentiation of most follicular lymphomas is reversible and implicate a T cell-mediated host immunoregulatory mechanism affecting Ig secretion in vivo. An additional contribution of our results is the demonstration of a cell culture system for synthesis of sufficient monoclonal Ig for use as an immunogen in production of anti-idiotype antibodies.     

Anti-CD19 inhibits the growth of human B-cell tumor lines in vitro and of Daudi cells in SCID mice by inducing cell cycle arrest

In this report, we extend our previous findings that IgG or F(ab')2 fragments of HD37 anti-CD19 antibody (Ab) in combination with the immunotoxin (IT), RFB4-anti-CD22-deglycosylated ricin A chain (dgA) (but neither reagent alone), prolonged the survival of SCID mice with disseminated human Daudi lymphoma (SCID/Daudi mice) to 1 year at which time they still remained tumor-free. We explored the mechanisms by which the HD37 Ab exerts antitumor activity in vivo by studying its activity in vitro. We found that it has antiproliferative activity (IC50 = 5.2 - 9.8 x 10(-7) mol/L) on three CD19+ Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines (Daudi, Raji, and Namalwa) but not on a weakly CD19-positive (CD19lo) pre-B cell tumor (Nalm-6). The inhibitory effect was manifested by cell cycle arrest, but not apoptosis. Results using three additional anti-CD19 Abs, suggest that the affinity of the antibody and possibly the epitope which it recognizes may effect its capacity to transmit a signal that induces cell cycle arrest. Hence, therapeutically useful Abs may exert anti-tumor activity by a variety of mechanisms, each of which should be evaluated before undertaking clinical trials in humans.     

Height loss in older women: Risk of hip fracture and mortality independent of vertebral fractures

We examined if height loss in older women predicts risk of hip fractures, other nonspine fractures, and mortality, and whether this risk is independent of both vertebral fractures (VFx) and bone mineral density (BMD) by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Among 3124 women age 65 and older in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, we assessed the association with measured height change between year 0 (1986–1988) and year 15 (2002–2004) and subsequent risk of radiologically confirmed hip fractures, other nonspine fractures, and mortality assessed via death certificates. Follow‐up occurred every 4 months for fractures and vital status (>95% contacts complete). Cox proportional hazards models assessed risk of hip fracture, nonspine fracture, and mortality over a mean of 5 years after height change was assessed (ie, after final height measurement). After adjustment for VFx, BMD, and other potential covariates, height loss >5 cm was associated with a marked increased risk of hip fracture [hazard ratio (HR) 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06, 2.12], nonspine fracture (HR 1.48; 95% CI 1.20, 1.83), and mortality (1.45; 95% CI 1.21, 1.73). Although primary analyses were a subset of 3124 survivors healthy enough to return for a year 15 height measurement, a sensitivity analysis in the entire cohort (n = 9677) using initial height in earlier adulthood [self‐reported height at age 25 (?40 years) to measured height age >65 years (Year 0)] demonstrated consistent results. Height loss >5 cm (2″) in older women was associated with a nearly 50% increased risk of hip fracture, nonspine fracture, and mortality—independent of incident VFx and BMD. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research