Staging and prognostic factors in carcinoma of the base of the tongue.

During the period 1966-1985, 66 patients were submitted for curative treatment of a carcinoma of the base of the tongue in the Netherlands Cancer Institute. Treatment consisted of radiotherapy (59 patients), surgery and post-operative radiotherapy (4 patients) and surgery alone (3 patients). Patients were staged according to the UICC (1982) and UICC (1987)/AJCC (1988) criteria. Regrouping by the latter system caused enlargement of the N2-group and of stage IV. The crude 5-year survival was 22%, the 5-year tumour control was 36% and the locoregional control was 47%. The most important prognostic factors for the tumour-free interval are the T-category (P = 0.01) and stage grouping (UICC 1982) (P = 0.022). The same factors predict the locoregional control (P = 0.005 and 0.02 respectively). Crude survival is lower in smokers, and in patients in poor general condition (P = 0.04 and 0.007 respectively).     

Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies monospecific to MMTV LTR orf protein produced in E. coli.

Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies specific to an open reading frame of the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat were generated using an open reading frame-beta-galactosidase fusion protein produced in E. coli. Both antibodies reacted with the open reading frame-beta-galactosidase fusion protein but not with beta-galactosidase alone using an immunoblotting technique. It is concluded that these antibodies were specific for the protein encoded by the open reading frame of the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat.     

Vascular production and regulation of angiotensin

To test the hypothesis that angiotensin (Ang) I and II are produced by blood vessels, we investigated the formation of both Ang I and Ang II in isolated, perfused rat hindquarters. To characterize the nature of this production further, we modulated plasma renin by total or subtotal nephrectomy and tested the effects of exogenous renin and renin substrate on vascular Ang formation. Assays of the perfusate by high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay demonstrated the spontaneous release of Ang I and Ang II from the hindlimb vasculature. Conversion of Ang I to Ang II in hindquarter vasculature was approximately 75% and was totally suppressed by captopril. The spontaneous formation of Ang peptides was abolished by bilateral nephrectomy but was not affected by subtotal 5/6 nephrectomy. The addition of purified rat angiotensinogen to the preparation increased Ang II levels. The infusion of renin into the hindlimb vasculature led to substantial increases in local Ang formation and also raised the perfusion pressure. Both effects were sensitive to captopril and to the renin inhibitor H-142. The data indicate that Ang I and Ang II are produced locally within blood vessels. However, the origin of vascular renin remains controversial. Our results suggest that part of the enzyme is taken up from plasma.     

Synthetic sulpholipopolysaccharides: novel adjuvants for humoral immune responses.

Referring to the strong immunostimulating activity of combinations of lipophilic agents and dextran sulphate, conjugates with chemical determinants of both types of adjuvants were synthesized and then examined for immunostimulatory capabilities in mice. Saturated fatty acids with varying chain lengths and sulphate groups were coupled covalently at defined ratios to the polysaccharide Ficoll (MW 400,000). Chemical analysis of 60 of the sulpholipopolysaccharides synthesized revealed that the number of sulphate groups per monosaccharide unit varied from 0 to 1.6, and the number of lipid groups from 0 to 0.8. Adjuvanticity of these conjugates for the humoral immune response was determined using sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and dinitrophenyl-haptenated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) as antigens. Five days after intraperitoneal injection of adjuvant and antigen, the numbers of direct anti-SRBC plaque-forming cells (PFC) in the spleen were determined. Anti-DNP antibody titres were measured from 1 to 4 weeks after immunization. PFC responses to 2 X 10(6) SRBC were augmented up to a 100-fold by conjugates of Ficoll and sulphate (sulphopolysaccharides: SPs) or lipid groups (lipopolysaccharides: LPs). Introduction of low or moderate numbers of lipid groups in SPs reduced adjuvanticity. Adjuvant activity of sulpholipopolysaccharides (SLPs) with varying sulphate and high lipid content depended on the sulphate contents and the chain length of the lipids. Sulphate reduced adjuvanticity of the SLPs, and the number of sulphate groups required for complete annihilation increased with the chain length of the lipid. LPs and SLPs, including conjugates that did not enhance anti-SRBC PFC responses, augmented serum antibody responses to DNP-BSA while SPs were hardly effective.     

Genetic mapping ofPim-1 putative oncogene to mouse chromosome 17

Pim-1 is a putative oncogene activated in T-cell lymphomas induced by Moloney and AKR mink cell focus forming (MCF) viruses. We have determined the chromosomal localization of the Pim-1gene in mice by Southern blot analysis of DNAs obtained from a panel of mouse-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids. The Pim-1gene was localized on chromosome 17, a chromosome frequently aberrant in T-cell lymphomas. Two chromosomal regions, containing sequences homologous to regions within the Pim-1locus, were localized on chromosome 6 and 16.     

Comparison of selective media for isolation of Campylobacter jejuni/coli

A comparison of Skirrow's, Butzler's, Blaser's, Campy-BAP and Preston media for Campylobacter spp was made using human, animal and environmental specimens. Butzler's medium gave the lowest isolation rate and Preston medium, which was the most selective, the highest isolation rate. Enrichment culture using Preston enrichment broth gave a higher isolation rate than direct plating onto Preston medium.