[McAb LC-1 against human lung cancer]

Recently Ge et al reported LAC-122, LAC-210 and LAC-163 McAbs against Human non-small cell lung cancer and LSC McAbs against human lung small cell carcinoma. The immunotoxin, composed of McAb LAC-122 conjugated with Ricin A chain has been reported to have the significant cytotoxic effect in vitro on lung adenocarcinoma cell line SPC-A-1 by Tan et al. The LAC-122 alone has no effect on this target cell in the presence of complement from human, rabbit or guinea pig. The tumor associated antigens of human lung cancer have been recognized for many years, but only few reports deal with the common antigens or common epitopes of the lung cancer. From one fusion, 20 hybrids had been observed, all of these culture supernatants could react with target cell by IF. One of them after 4 th cloning, immunoglobulin isotype of the monoclonal antibody thus far obtained belonged to IgM and named to LC-1. Table 1 showed the results of ABC staining of LC-1 with a variety of tumors, normal adult and fetal tissues. From 12 non-small cell lung cancers, including 7 lung adenocarcinoma, 2 lung squamous carcinoma, 3 lung giant cell carcinoma, only one adenocarcinoma gave negative staining. As for 6 small cell lung cancers, all of them showed the positive reaction. It could be also reacted with 11 other tumors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Human sperm chromosome analysis in primary infertility: a preliminary report

Human sperm chromosomes can be analyzed using the zona-free hamster egg system. In order to familiarize ourselves with this new technique and to investigate the chromosome aberration frequency in fertile and possibly infertile men, we performed sperm chromosome analysis in 39 successful experiments. The subjects were divided into two groups. Group 1 was healthy men with proven fertility. Group 2 was husbands of couples with unexplained infertility. Semen samples were prepared freshly or preserved in TEST-yolk buffer for 12 to 72 hours. In group 1 using fresh samples, the mean penetration rate was 67.40 +/- 14.08% (mean +/- 2SD), the maturation index was 1.33 +/- 0.31. For samples treated with yolk buffer, the mean penetration rate was 91.34 +/- 7.42%, and the maturation index was 1.58 +/- 0.42. There was a statistically significant increase in penetration after yolk buffer treatment (p less than 0.001). In group 1 there were 89 haploid chromosomes, four were aneuploidy (4.5%), and three with structural aberrations (3.4%). In group 2, for fresh samples, the mean penetration rate was 71.34 +/- 27.96%, and the maturation index was 1.37 +/- 0.25. For samples treated with yolk buffer, the penetration rate was 86.33 +/- 25.18%, and maturation index 1.40 +/- 0.23. In group 2, there were 135 haploid chromosomes, 6 were aneuploidy (4.4%), and 4 with structural aberrations (3.0%). There was no statistically significant difference between group 1 and group 2 in the penetration rate, maturation index and frequency of chromosome abnormalities.

Transendothelial transport of low density lipoprotein in association with cell mitosis in rat aorta

Atherosclerosis is characterized by focal areas of lipid accumulation and intimal smooth muscle cell proliferation in large arteries. In vivo studies on rat aorta with Evans blue-albumin conjugate (EBA) have shown that there are preferential sites of increased permeability with an increased uptake of the conjugate. It has been shown that these blue areas are associated with a high endothelial cell turnover rate and an enhanced permeability to lipids. In a previous study, we demonstrated that 99% of endothelial cells in the mitotic (M) phase as identified by hematoxylin staining of the dividing nuclei exhibited EBA leakage and that these dividing cells accounted for 30% of all leakage sites. In the present study, experiments were performed on the thoracic aortas of 10 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to determine the statistical frequency of isolated leaks to Lucifer yellow-low density lipoprotein conjugate (LY-LDL) at the level of individual cells and to assess the relationship of such leaks to the cell turnover processes. Leakage of LY-LDL around individual endothelial cells was visualized by fluorescence microscopy, and cells in mitosis on the same specimens were identified by hematoxylin staining. Although endothelial cell mitosis is infrequent (0.034%), 80% of dividing cells in the M phase were associated with LY-LDL leakage. These dividing cells accounted for 45% of all leakage spots. These findings lend support to our recent hypothesis that transiently open junctions surrounding the endothelial cells undergoing cell turnover provide pathways through which LDL enters the subendothelial space, resulting in lipid accumulation.

Skin cancer recognition by computer vision

Automatic detection of several features characteristic of basal cell epitheliomas is described. The features selected for this feasibility study are semitranslucency, telangiectasia, ulcer, crust, and tumor border. Image processing methods used in this study include frequency analysis of the Fourier transform of the image, the Sun-Wee texture analysis algorithm, and several other image analysis techniques suitable for skin photographs. This image analysis software is designed for use with AI/DERM, an expert system that models diagnosis of skin tumors by dermatologists.

HLA antigens among Chinese in Taiwan: association of Cw1 and Cw3 on the same haplotype

HLA-A, B and C phenotypes and gene frequencies of Chinese living in Taiwan are presented. Cw1 and Cw3 were frequently found to segregate together on the same haplotype.

Enhanced macromolecular permeability of aortic endothelial cells in association with mitosis

Experiments were performed on thoracic aortae of 12 male Sprague-Dawley [corrected] rats to determine the statistical frequency of isolated leaks to Evans blue-albumin (EBA) conjugate at the level of individual cells and to assess the relationship of such leaks to the cell turnover process. Fluorescence microscopy was used to detect leakage of EBA around individual cells, and hematoxylin staining was used to identify cells in mitosis on the same specimens. Although endothelial cell mitosis is very rare in occurrence, 99% of the cells in the M phase were associated with EBA leakage. Since these dividing cells accounted for only one third of all cellular leakage sites, we concluded that significant leakage also occurred in other phases of the cell cycle, probably prior to and after the M phase, or during non-denuding desquamation.

The role of arterial endothelial cell mitosis in macromolecular permeability

The present experiments were performed on twelve male Wistar rats to study the quantitative, topographic correlation between transendothelial permeability of Evans Blue-albumin (EBA) conjugate and endothelial cell replication at the single-cell level. En face preparations of the thoracic aorta were examined by fluorescence microscopy. We found a high degree of correlation between endothelial cell mitosis and EBA leaky spots. Although endothelial cell mitosis is very rare in occurrence, nearly all junctions around the dividing cells were leaky (99%), in contrast to only 0.03% of the non-mitotic cells. In addition, electron microscopic observations showed that the junction around a dividing endothelial cell is leaky, whereas that around a dying cell is not. With the aid of our theoretical model, we were able to analyze the dynamics of macromolecular passage through leaky endothelial junctions. The duration of endothelial cell mitosis was estimated to be 67 min, which constituted 0.01% of the duration of the total cell cycle. The time-dependent change in junctional geometry during endothelial cell turnover leads to an inverse relationship between macromolecular size and duration of junctional leakage. For albumin the duration of leakiness across aortic endothelial cell is approximately 3.7 hr. The present findings lend support to our hypothesis that transiently open junctions surrounding the dividing endothelial cells provide the major pathway through which macromolecules enter the subendothelial space to result in lipid accumulation.

Further evidence for genetic heterogeneity of whistling face or Freeman-Sheldon syndrome in a Chinese family

We report on 2 brothers with severe manifestations of the whistling-face/windmill-vane-hand syndrome (also called "craniocarpotarsal dystrophy"; Freeman-Sheldon syndrome); they were born to normal, nonconsanguineous parents. Our observations support the theory of causal heterogeneity of this syndrome and suggest existence of an autosomal or X-linked recessive form of this syndrome.

Study of human chromosome V. The effects of thymidine concentration and timing on the expression of uridine-induced constitutive fragile sites

The induction of fragile sites on human chromosomes has been demonstrated under various conditions that cause thymidylate stress, including exposure to uridine. In this study, we examined common fragile site expression by initially exposing peripheral lymphocytes to uridine, followed by repair of the fragile sites with media containing various concentrations of thymidine. Lymphocytes were cultured in medium 199 with 2 mM uridine. At 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12, and 18 h before harvest, the uridine medium was removed and replaced by medium containing thymidine at various concentrations. Our results demonstrate that the effect of uridine on chromosome fragility can be reversed by low concentrations of thymidine (2 microM up to 200 microM) and the "rescuing" effect of thymidine can be achieved if the cells were treated prior to 2-3 h before harvest. No repair was found if thymidine was added to culture within 2 h prior to harvesting, suggesting that packing of chromosomes is also an important factor in the expression and repair of fragile sites.

An initial screening of serum lipids and fatty acid profiles of hypertensive and normotensive subjects

Serum lipids and their acyl group profiles from a group of hypertensive patients with elevated systolic and diastolic pressure were compared with normotensive subjects of matched age, body weight and dietary habits. The level of serum triacylglycerols was elevated in the hypertensive subjects, but the cholesterol level remained normal. The acyl groups of serum triacylglycerols and cholesterylesters from hypertensive subjects indicated a higher proportion of the saturated fatty acids (16:0 and 18:0) and a lower proportion of linoleic acid (18:2) as compared to normal controls. There was no obvious change in the level and acyl group composition of serum phosphatidylcholine between the two groups. Since the hypertensive and normotensive subjects indicated similar dietary habits, the resulting differences in serum lipids reflected an abnormality in the lipolytic process in the hypertensive subjects.

Arterial hemodynamics in human hypertension

Differences in aortic impedance between normotensives and hypertensives are not well characterized. We examined impedance in 8 normotensive and 11 hypertensive (mean 96.7 vs. 122.2 mmHg) age-matched, Chinese patients undergoing cardiac catheterization at rest, during nitroprusside, and handgrip exercise before and after beta blockade (propranolol). Hypertensives had higher resistance (2,295 vs. 1713 dyn-s/cm5), characteristic impedance (145.7 vs. 93.9 dyn-s/cm5), total external power (1,579 vs. 1174 mW), peripheral reflections (ratio of backward to forward wave components of 0.54 vs. 0.44), and first zero crossing of impedance phase angle (4.15 vs. 2.97 Hz). These abnormalities were eliminated with vasodilatation. Differences between groups were not further exacerbated when pressure was increased during handgrip exercise. Beta blockade further increased resistance and reflections. Thus, hemodynamic abnormalities of essential hypertension (increased resistance, reflections, and pulse wave velocity, and decreased compliance) are compatible with an increased vasomotor tone that is further unmasked during generalized beta blockade.

[Fatal septicemia due to Chromobacterium violaceum]

A 2-year old boy was suffered from an infection caused by Chromobacterium violaceum. This is the first case of C. violaceum infection reported in Taiwan. The boy was treated with chloramphenicol and gentamicin but died after one month of illness due to the incooperation of patient's family. The causative agent was isolated from patient's blood and scar. Complete bacteriologic characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of this isolate are reported.

Lack of influence of aluminum hydroxide on the bioavailability and beta-adrenoceptor blocking activity of propranolol

Plasma concentrations of propranolol and the changes of exercise induced heart rate were determined in 6 healthy subjects. An amount of 40 mg of propranolol was given alone or in combination with 30 ml of aluminum hydroxide gel. Neither the bioavailability nor the beta-adrenoceptor blocking activity of propranolol was significantly changed by concurrent administration of aluminum hydroxide gel. There is no need to increase the propranolol dose when aluminum hydroxide gel is administered concurrently.

Activities of transport adenosine triphosphatases in erythrocyte membranes of healthy and hypertensive subjects

The Na+, K+-ATPase activity in the erythrocyte membrane was measured in 25 untreated essential hypertensive patients and 25 age-matched healthy normotensive subjects. In addition, the Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase activity was measured in 20 hypertensive and 25 age-matched normotensive subjects. The Na+, K+-ATPase activity of healthy Chinese measured in this study was similar to the data reported in a Dutch study. We therefore could not support a theory which speculated an ethnic influence on Na+, K+-ATPase activity. Both Na+, K+-ATPase and Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase activities were slightly lower in hypertensive patients as compared with those in normotensive subjects, but the differences were not statistically significant. We concluded that the transport ATPase activities were not impaired in the erythrocyte membranes of hypertensive patients.

Enzymatic preparation of seasoning 5'-nucleotides from baker's yeast

Chemical phosphorylation with sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) as a modifying agent was used to prepare functional protein isolate and dissociated nucleic acid (mostly RNA) from baker's yeast. The majority of protein-RNA complex in the disintegrated yeast cells was first extracted with an aqueous alkaline solution (pH 12, 40 degrees C) followed by phosphorylation with STMP under the same condition for 6 hrs. An apparent dissociation of protein-RNA complex occurred due to the covalent attachment of anionic phosphate groups onto yeast protein molecules. The nucleic acid residued in the supernatant after removal of modified protein isolate by isoelectric precipitation was recovered by reprecipitating at pH 2 followed by converting it to 5'-nucleotides with malt rootlets 5'-phosphodiesterase as well as red marine algal adenylate deaminase. This coherent process provided a preparation of food-usable functional protein isolate and 5'-nucleotides from baker's yeast.