Tissue distribution of restricted leukocyte common antigens. A comprehensive study with protein- and carbohydrate-specific CD45R antibodies

A panel of monoclonal antibodies, specific for either protein or carbohydrate components of the leukocyte common antigen (LCA), were used to characterize the expression pattern of different variants of this antigen complex. Immunohistochemical and flow cytometric analysis was carried out on human lymphoid tissues from different anatomical compartments. We found that variations in terminal sialic acid or O-linked sugar moieties were associated with drastic differences in reactivity with some of the CD45R antibodies. For example, the carbohydrate determinants recognized by MT2 (CD45RA) and 2B11 (CD45) were not or were very weakly expressed on germinal center cells, whereas the carbohydrate determinant recognized by MT3 (CD45RB) was not expressed on the majority of mantle zone B cells. On the other hand, KiB3 (CD45RA) reacted with a protein determinant that is normally only exposed on mantle zone B cells but can be uncovered on marginal zone B cells and the CD45RA-positive T-cell subpopulation by enzymatic treatment. The findings suggest that differential biosynthesis and expression of the carbohydrate components of LCA are important mechanisms to generate additional LCA heterogeneity. Similar to the differential usage of the variable region, the exact carbohydrate composition is also linked to the stage of cell development. Heterogeneity in carbohydrate composition of the extracellular domain of LCA appears to enable interactions with different ligands, thereby holding the key to the regulation of LCA cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase activity.     

Conformation and gas permeability of poly(α-amino acid) membranes

The permeability of some poly(?-amino acid) (PAA) membranes like such of poly(N,δ-carbobenzoxy-L -lysine) (PCBL), poly(N,δ-carbobenzoxy-L -ornithine) (PCBO) as well as of copolymers of L -lysine and carbobenzoxy-L -lysine to oxygen and carbon dioxide were determined at different water content especially with regard to their use for artificial lungs. The conformations of these polymer membranes were studied by means of IR-spectra and X-ray diffraction. The results on the diffusion coefficient obtained for PCBL and PCBO were analysed in terms of Eyring's theory. They suggest that the microvoids in the interstices between the α-helices, assumed on the basis of X-ray analyses, play an important role, especially below the glass transition temperature T_g of the side-chains. This seems also to contribute partly to the diffusion of gas through the membrane even above T_g and results in an abnormally high “apparent activation energy” of diffusion in the wet state below T_g. It was found that the permeability of the membrane of partially decarbobenzoxylated PCBL for oxygen in a certain temperature range is higher than that for carbon dioxide. This has never been observed for any other synthetic polymer, because usually carbon dioxide has a higher solubility in these materials than oxygen. In the case of the partially decarbobenzoxylated PCBL membranes, however, the diffusion coefficient of carbon dioxide, and therefore the permeation of this gas, decreases much more than that of oxygen with increasing decarbobenzoxylation accompanied by the formation of β-structure and concomitantly the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Obviously, this phenomenon may be responsible for the permselectivity of these membranes for oxygen compared with carbon dioxide.     

In vitro and in vivo degradation of porous poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) foams

This study investigated the in vitro degradation of porous poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) foams during a 20-week period in pH 7.4 phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 37 degrees C and their in vivo degradation following implantation in rat mesentery for up to 8 weeks. Three types of PLGA 85 : 15 and three types of 50 : 50 foams were fabricated using a solvent-casting, particulate-leaching technique. The two types had initial salt weight fraction of 80 and 90%, and a salt particle size of 106-150 microm, while the third type had 90% initial weight fraction of salt in the size range 0-53 microm. The porosities of the resulting foams were 0.82, 0.89, and 0.85 for PLGA 85 : 15, and 0.73, 0.87, and 0.84 for PLGA 50 : 50 foams, respectively. The corresponding median pore diameters were 30, 50, and 17 microm for PLGA 85: 15, and 19, 17, and 17 microm for PLGA 50 : 50. The in vitro and in vivo degradation kinetics of PLGA 85: 15 foams were independent of pore morphology with insignificant variation in foam weight, thickness, pore distribution, compressive creep behavior, and morphology during degradation. The in vitro foam half-lives based on the weight average molecular weight were 11.1 +/- 1.8 (80%, 106-150 microm), 12.0 +/- 2.0 (90%, 106-150 microm), and 11.6 +/- 1.3 (90%, 0-53 microm) weeks, similar to the corresponding values of 9.4 +/- 2.2, 14.3 +/- 1.5, and 13.7 +/- 3.3 weeks for in vivo degradation. In contrast, all PLGA 50 : 50 foams exhibited significant change in foam weight, water absorption, and pore distribution after 6-8 weeks of incubation with PBS. The in vitro foam half-lives were 3.3 +/- 0.3 (80%, 106-150 microm), 3.0 +/- 0.3 (90%, 106-150 microm), and 3.2 +/- 0.1 (90%, 0-53 microm) weeks, and the corresponding in vivo half-lives were 1.9 micro 0.1, 2.2 +/- 0.2, and 2.4 +/- 0.2 weeks. The significantly shorter half-lives of PLGA 50: 50 compared to 85: 15 foams indicated their faster degradation both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, PLGA 50: 50 foams exhibited significantly faster degradation in vivo as compared to in vitro conditions due to an autocatalytic effect of the accumulated acidic degradation products in the medium surrounding the implants. These results suggest that the polymer composition and environmental conditions have significant effects on the degradation rate of porous PLGA foams.     

The outer membrane of Pasteurella multocida 3:A protects rabbits against homologous challenge.

The protective efficacy of a vaccine purified from the Pasteurella multocida 3:A outer membrane (OM) was evaluated in rabbits by homologous challenge. Twenty-seven rabbits were divided into four groups: 1, vaccinated with OM and challenged; 2, nonvaccinated and challenged; 3, vaccinated with OM only; and 4, nonvaccinated and not challenged. Rabbits were immunized intranasally with 1 mg of OM protein on days 0, 7, 14, and 35, challenged intranasally on day 49, and killed on day 63. Mortality rates were 0, 67, 0, and 0% for groups 1 through 4, respectively. The prevalence of pneumonia was reduced from 73 (group 2) to 20% (group 1). The severity of pneumonia was reduced from 0.62 (group 2) to 0.07 (group 1), as measured by the group lesion index. The number of P. multocida in nasal cavities was reduced from 3.89 x 10(5) (group 2) to 6.19 x 10(2) (group 1). The geometric mean number of P. multocida in lungs was 8,360,000-fold less in group 1 than in group 2. Similarly, the prevalence of P. multocida colonization in nonrespiratory organs was reduced from 47 (group 2) to 4% (group 1). Furthermore, group 1 and 3 rabbits developed significantly elevated immunoglobulin A antibodies in nasal secretions and lung lavages and significantly elevated immunoglobulin G antibodies in lung lavages and sera. In addition, rabbit immune sera contained antibodies against P. multocida OM proteins and lipopolysaccharides and inhibited P. multocida proliferation in mouse lungs. These results indicate that a vaccine prepared from the OM of P. multocida provides a significant protection in rabbits against homologous challenge.     

Effects of low-level microwave irradiation on amphetamine hyperthermia are blockable by naloxone and classically conditionable

In a series of experiments, we investigated the effects of pulsed low-level microwave irradiation on amphetamine-induced hyperthermia in the rat. Rats were irradiated in a 2,450-MHz cylindrical waveguide exposure system at 1 mW/cm², 2 s pulses, 500 pps, average SAR of 0.6 W/kg. Acute (45 min) exposure to microwaves attenuated amphetamine-induced hyperthermia. This effect was blocked by pretreatment of the animals with the narcotic antagonist naloxone. In another experiment, rats were subjected to ten daily sessions of microwave exposure (45 min/session). On day 11, amphetamine-induced hyperthermia was studied in the animals immediately after a session of either microwave or sham exposure. Similar to the acute effect, amphetamine-induced hyperthermia was attenuated in rats irradiated with microwaves (unconditioned effect). In the sham-irradiated animals we observed a potentiation of the amphetamine-induced hyperthermia, which was a conditioned effect of microwaves. Thus, the conditioned effect (potentiation) was opposite in direction to the unconditioned effect (attenuation). No tolerance developed to the unconditioned effect after subchronic exposure. Furthermore, both conditioned and unconditioned effects of microwaves on amphetamine-induced hyperthermia could be blocked by treatment with naloxone. These data suggest that (1) microwave irradiation may activate endogenous opioids, which in turn alter the actions of psychoactive drugs, and (2) the effect of microwaves on drug action can be classically conditioned. Offprint requests to: H. Lai     

Reduction in Maternal Energy Intake during Lactation Decreased Maternal Body Weight and Concentrations of Leptin,Insulin and Adiponectin in Human Milk without Affecting Milk Production,Milk Macronutrient Composition or Infant Growth

Maternal diet has the potential to affect human milk (HM) composition, but very few studies have directly assessed the effect of maternal diets on HM composition. The primary aim of this study was to assess the effect of improving dietary quality in lactating women over 2 weeks on the concentrations of macronutrients and metabolic hormones in HM. The secondary aims were to assess the impact of the dietary intervention on 24 h milk production, maternal body composition and infant growth. Fifteen women completed a 1-week baseline period followed by a 2-week dietary intervention phase targeted towards reducing fat and sugar intake. Maternal anthropometric and body composition and infant growth measurements were performed weekly. Total 24 h milk production was measured before and after the dietary intervention, and HM samples were collected daily. Maternal intakes of energy (−33%), carbohydrate (−22%), sugar (−29%), fat (−54%) and saturated fat (−63%) were significantly reduced during the dietary intervention. HM insulin, leptin and adiponectin concentrations were 10–25% lower at the end of the dietary intervention, but HM concentrations of macronutrients were unaffected. Maternal body weight (−1.8%) and fat mass (−6.3%) were significantly reduced at the end of the dietary intervention, but there were no effects on 24 h milk production or infant growth. These results suggest that reducing maternal energy, carbohydrate, fat and sugar intake over a 2-week period is associated with significant reductions in HM insulin, leptin and adiponectin concentrations. These changes may be secondary to decreases in maternal weight and fat mass. The limited studies to date that have investigated the association between metabolic hormone concentrations in HM and infant growth raise the possibility that the changes in HM composition observed in the current study could impact infant growth and adiposity, but further studies are required to confirm this hypothesis.     

中孕期胎儿染色体异常高危孕妇羊水细胞胎儿染色体核型及介入性产前诊断指征的大样本分析

目的探讨中孕期胎儿染色体异常(FCA)高危孕妇羊水细胞胎儿染色体核型(FK)及其介入性产前诊断(IPD)指征。方法选择2014—2018年,在四川大学华西第二医院产前诊断中心进行羊膜腔穿刺术羊水细胞FK检测的63581例FCA高危孕妇(孕龄为19~27+6孕周)为研究对象。回顾性分析孕妇不同IPD指征及其胎儿染色体核型异常(FKA)检测结果。本研究遵循的程序符合四川大学华西第二医院伦理委员会所制定的伦理学标准,并通过该伦理委员会批准[审批文号:医学科研2019伦审批第(077)号]。结果①本组63581例中孕期孕妇的FKA检出率为3.13%(1989/63581)。这63581例孕妇的IPD指征分别为高龄(预产期年龄≥35岁)(25648例)、血清学筛查高风险(29009例)、无创产前筛查(NIPT)高风险(333例)、夫妇一方为染色体异常携带者(603例)、超声筛查发现胎儿结构异常及超声软指标异常(2647例)、异常儿生育史(1546例)、于外院进行羊水细胞FK分析结果异常者(7例)、孕妇智力低下及合并智力低下家族史(149例)、孕妇早孕期有害物质接触史(1400例)、其他(2239例),FKA检出率分别为3.26%(836/25648)、2.04%(593/29009)、65.17%(217/333)、34.33%(207/603)、3.51%(93/2647)、1.68%(26/1546)、85.71%(6/7)、4.03%(6/149)、0.14%(2/1400)、0.13%(3/2239)。②351例孕妇的IPD指征为超声筛查发现胎儿结构异常中,IPD指征为胎儿淋巴水囊瘤、皮肤水肿的FKA检出率最高,为26.09%(6/23)。2296例孕妇的IPD指征为胎儿超声软指标异常中,IPD指征为胎儿颈项透明层(NT)值≥2.5 mm的FKA检出率最高,为7.74%(66/853)。结论孕妇高龄、血清学筛查高风险、NIPT高风险、夫妇一方为染色体异常携带者、超声筛查发现胎儿结构异常及超声软指标异常等,均为中孕期孕妇FCA的IPD指征,孕妇IPD指征类型不同,FCA风险不同。羊膜腔穿刺术羊水细胞FK检测,可预测有IPD指征孕妇的妊娠结局,为降低FKA出生率提供参考。     

胃癌术中动脉区域灌注化疗与全身静脉化疗的临床疗效比较

目的　评价胃癌术中动脉区域灌注化疗药物的临床疗效。方法　对 40例经病理确诊的胃癌患者 (治疗组 )于术中经供应肿瘤的区域动脉行插管化疗 ,同时进行手术治疗 ,并与同期术中行全身静脉化疗的 2 4例胃癌患者 (对照组 )进行临床疗效比较。结果　术后病理检查显示 ,治疗组原发灶中的癌细胞均有不同程度地变性坏死 ,其近期有效率为 95 % ,对照组有效率为 41.6 7% ,两组比较差异显著 (P<0 .0 5 )。结论　胃癌患者术中经动脉灌注化疗 ,其近期抗癌效果好 ,毒副反应轻 ,对减少或防止术中癌细胞的医源性扩散与种植以及术后复发 ,均有重要的临床意义     

前次妊娠期糖尿病临床特征对再次妊娠复发性糖尿病影响

目的:分析前次妊娠期糖尿病(GDM)的临床特征对再次妊娠糖尿病复发影响。方法:回顾性收集2017年1月-2019年10月本院产科常规产前检查且前次妊娠诊断为GDM的306例产妇临床资料,根据本次妊娠GDM诊断标准分为复发性GDM组与血糖正常组,再根据葡萄糖耐量试验(OGTT)各时间点血糖水平将复发性GDM组分为复发性GDM A组(单纯FPG异常)、复发性GDM B组(FPG正常但1hPG或/和2hPG异常)、复发性GDM C组(FPG异常,同时合并1hPG或/和2hPG异常)。比较各组前次妊娠临床特点与复发关系。结果:复发性GDM组与血糖正常组年龄、产次间隔≥5年比例、前次妊娠FPG、1hPG、2hPG值及OGTT异常类型比例、前次妊娠应用胰岛素比例均有差异(P<0.05),而前次妊娠前体质指数、妊娠期增重及早产发生情况无差异(P>0.05);年龄≥35岁、前次妊娠2hPG>9.10mmol/L、1hPG或(和)2hPG异常及FPG+1hPG或(和)2hPG异常是复发性GDM的危险因素(P<0.05),而产次间隔≥5年、前次妊娠OGTT FPG>5.35mmol/L、1hPG>10.59mmol/L、前次妊娠应用胰岛素与复发性GDM无相关性(P>0.05);复发性GDM C组与A组年龄、前次妊娠OGTT 1hPG、2hPG值有差异(P<0.05),而复发性GDM C组与B组、B组与A组比较无差异(P>0.05);复发性GDM A组、B组、C组前次妊娠OGTT异常类型构成比有差异(P<0.001),产次间隔时间≥5年、前次妊娠早产、应用胰岛素比例无差异(P>0.05);年龄≥35岁及前次妊娠FPG+1hPG或(和)2hPG异常是GDM复发时血糖异常类型高等级的危险因素(P<0.05),前次妊娠OGTT 1hPG>10.59mmol/L、2hPG>9.10mmol/L、前次妊娠1hPG或(和)2hPG异常与复发性GDM孕妇OGTT异常类型无相关性(P>0.05)。结论:孕妇年龄、前次妊娠OGTT 2hPG值及异常类型可能会影响再妊娠复发性GDM的发生率及严重程度。