Solid phase red cell adherence immunoassay for anti-HIV 1: a simple, rapid, and accurate method for donor screening

In technically developed countries in which acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a risk to the recipients of blood or tissue, it is mandatory to screen the donor for evidence of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. Current tests, based on enzyme-linked immunoassay, are time-consuming and expensive and as such are unsuitable for developing countries. We describe a second generation test using anti-human IgG coupled to red cells as the indicator of antibody having reacted with test antigen (1). The test is complete within ten minutes, simple to perform and to read and has 100% sensitivity and 99% specificity compared with Western blot. It is ideal for the rapid screening of organ donors and for the screening of blood donors where cost is a major consideration.     

The pathology of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone. A study of 130 patients

Since 1927, 130 patients with well-documented malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone have been diagnosed and treated at Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases. This sarcoma is 10 times less frequent than osteogenic sarcoma in this hospital. It most commonly occurred spontaneously (72%), whereas in the rest (28%) it followed previous radiation or various pre-existent osseous conditions, most often Paget's disease. The appendicular skeleton was the commonest site of involvement. The majority of the patients were middle-aged or older adults with a mean of 40.5 years of age; only 21.5% were 21 years or younger. Histologically, the lesions were subclassified as fibrous (62%), histiocytic or xanthomatous (30%), and malignant giant cell tumor (8%) variants. Older patients were more likely to have a secondary malignant fibrous histiocytoma, especially following radiation or Paget's disease. Overall survival estimates at 2 years and 5 years were 71% and 53%, respectively. Survival was not dependent on the histologic subtype of the lesion, but was strongly influenced by the histologic grade of malignancy. Important prognostic factors were the age of the patients and whether the lesions were primary de novo or secondary sarcomas: the older patients and those with secondary lesions did substantially worse.     

Ovarian metastases: computed tomographic appearances

Computed tomographic scans of 34 patients with ovarian metastases were reviewed to assess the radiographic appearances and to correlate these with the primary neoplasms. Primary neoplasms were located in the colon (20 patients), breast (six), stomach (five), small bowel (one), bladder (one), and Wilms tumor of the kidney (one). The radiographic appearance of the metastatic lesions could be described as predominantly cystic (14 lesions), mixed (12 lesions), or solid (seven lesions). There was one false-negative examination which showed no ovarian enlargement, although neoplastic deposits were found on the ovary at laparotomy. The cystic and mixed lesions tended to be larger in overall diameter than the solid. The metastases from gastric carcinoma appeared solid in four of five cases. The metastases from the other neoplasms had variable appearances simulating primary ovarian carcinoma.     

Constitutive expression of platelet glycoproteins by the human leukemia cell line K562

The human leukemia cell line K562 was derived from a patient with chronic granulocytic leukemia. This cell line has subsequently been shown to possess phenotypic markers typical of erythroid and myeloid cells. Using a rabbit antiserum directed against purified platelet glycoproteins (PGPs), we have obtained evidence for the constitutive expression of PGPs on the surface of K562 cells. PGPs expressed have been tentatively identified as IIa and III based on their apparent migration in a 7% sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel. K562 may become an important tool for the study of early events involved in megakaryocytic differentiation.     

Process analytical technology (PAT): effects of instrumental and compositional variables on terahertz spectral data quality to characterize pharmaceutical materials and tablets

The aim of this study was to use terahertz spectroscopy to characterize pharmaceutical materials and tablets, and to understand the effects of measuring conditions and compositional variability on the data quality. Tests were performed on five formulation components (theophylline, lactose, starch, Avicel, magnesium stearate) and a series of tablets composed of various concentrations of theophylline and excipients. Transmission spectra of polyethylene (PE) disks derived from each of the samples were analyzed. Three factors (component loading, component chemistry, and disk drying time) were screened as critical factors associated with the magnitude and location of THz absorbance peaks. Applying the standard sample spectra divided by PE reference spectra ratio method revealed that, to a large extent, PE was responsible for the disk drying time dependence. Direct spectral feature analysis along with mass-transfer analysis of the disk drying process revealed THz absorption peak maxima of lactose (255 cm(-1)) and water (54 and 210 cm(-1)) which is also supported by literature values for the peak maxima assignment for water. Particle scattering due to specimen and PE was found to be also partially responsible for the observed spectral intensities. The importance of THz spectroscopy was demonstrated for characterization of pharmaceutical materials and tablet.