New plastic joints for plastic orthoses

Plastic joints for orthoses have more advantages than metal joints. They are lightweight, noiseless comfortable to use, rust proof, corrosion free, and radiolucent. Two types of plastic joints were developed by the authors, one for the ankle joint and the other for the knee joint, elbow joint or hip joint. Polypropylene was chosen as the joint material because of its appropriate flexibility and toughness.

Cadeguomycin, a novel nucleoside analog antibiotic. II. Improved purification, physicochemical properties and structure assessment

Cadeguomycin, a new nucleoside analog antibiotic, has been purified as colorless needle crystals by recycling preparative HPLC. The antibiotic, C12H14O7N4, mp 231 approximately 239 degrees C (dec.), FD-MS: m/z 326 (M+); is a weakly acidic substance, showing UV gamma H2Omax (epsilon) 232 (19677), 272 (6881) and 298 nm (7607), and IR nu KBrmax 1650 (C = O) and 3420 (NH or OH) cm-1. The UV spectrum is similar to other pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines. The structure of cadeguomycin, 2-amino-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-5- carboxylic acid, has been elucidated by 1H NMR and 13C NMR in comparison with other pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines and their nucleosides.

Cadeguomycin, a noval nucleoside analog antibiotic. I. The producing organism, production and isolation of cadeguomycin

An actinomycete strain IM7912T was found to produce cadeguomycin, a new nucleoside analog antibiotic, together with tubercidin. Morphological, cultural and physiological studies showed that the organism belongs to the species Streptomyces hygroscopicus. Comparisons with S. hygroscopicus ISP 5578 revealed that both strains possess similar characteristics except for production of yellow or brownish yellow soluble pigment in some media. Cadeguomycin was isolated from the culture filtrate, separated from tubercidin, and purified.

Cells originating from sarcoid granulomas in vitro

In an attempt to obtain in vitro experimental models for sarcoidosis, the primary cultures of granuloma cells were initiated with lymph nodes from 10 sarcoidosis patients. The cells migrating from tissue explants became confluent at 2 wk of culture. These cells exhibited overall morphologic features and enzymatic activities resembling those of in vivo granuloma epithelioid cells. By light and electron microscopy, the epithelioid cell in vitro contained a clear, large nucleus with 1 or 2 prominent nucleoli. The cytoplasm was characterized by the occurrence of lysosomal dense bodies and electron-lucent vacuoles, besides many mitochondria and well-developed Golgi complexes. The cell surface exhibited many processes, mainly lamellipodia. Large amounts of angiotensin converting enzyme activity (3.9 to 50.1 nmol/min/ml) lysozyme activity (3.9 to 23.0 micrograms/ml) were demonstrated in the medium used for culture. The results indicated that the major cell population grown in these cultures is derived from the epithelioid cells in sarcoid granulomas.

Basic peptide with insulin-like activity in human serum

A peptide with insulin-like activity was isolated from human plasma. In the purification, insulin-like activity (ILA) was monitored by radioreceptor assay for insulin, using human placental membrane and [125I]-insulin. ILA was extracted from Cohn fraction III with acid-ethanol and chromatographed on Sephadex G-75 in 1% formic acid. When the active fractions were subjected to ion-exchange chromatography with CM-cellulose, the ILA was adsorbed to the column at pH 5.0 and was eluted with a gradient of ammonium acetate. The chromatographic behavior of the ILA was not identical to that of somatomedin A as determined by radioreceptor assay (RRA) for the latter. On isoelectric focusing of the ILA from the CM-cellulose column, insulin-like activity was distributed over a wide pH range. The ILA that was focused at pH 7.5-9.0 was further purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 in 1 M acetic acid. The specific activity of the basic ILA was approximately 200 mU insulin equivalent /mg protein. The apparent molecular weight of the material was estimated to be 7,000. It stimulated [14C]-glucose oxidation in rat epididymal fat cells and had sulfation activity in chick chondrocytes. Furthermore, the basic ILA had a potent mitogenic activity in Balb/c-3T3 cells. Thus, the basic ILA is qualified as an 'insulin-like growth factor' (IGF). It is obviously different from somatomedin A, and may be closely related to IGF-I or somatomedin C. Subsequently, RRA for the basic ILA was developed in serum concentration of the basic ILA were determined. The serum concentrations of the basic ILA were high in acromegalics and low in patients with hypopituitarism. Thus, the basic ILA is entitled to be one of the IGFs.

Characterization of effector cells responsible for cell-mediated cytotoxicity in patients with carcinoma of the prostate

In earlier experiments it has been shown that cellular cytotoxicity of patients with prostatic carcinoma (CaP) as measured by cytolysis of EB 33 target cells correlates with the extent of their tumor lesion: a high grade of cytotoxicity was observed only when CaP was confined to gland. In order to define a possible in vivo immunological host-tumor interaction, further characterization of the type of effector cell responsible for in vitro killing has been attempted. Effector cells could be either tumor-specific sensitized T cells, K cells, macrophages or NK cells. Antibody-dependent K-cell activity could most likely be excluded, since autologous and homologous serum did not affect the extent of EB 33 killing when added to the test medium. Further separation of effector cells by nylon wool columns resulted in increased cytolysis of EB 33 target cells. This can be due either to tumor-specific T-cell-mediated mechanisms or to an increased natural killer cell activity, as macrophages and B cells were significantly removed by this measure. Separation of T and NK cells is necessary to ascertain the effector cell responsible for the in vitro killing of tumor cells derived from human CaP.

Improved pulmonary venous anastomosis using a single left atrial cuff in one-stage bilateral lung autotransplantation

A technical modification in pulmonary venous anastomosis is presented for one-stage bilateral lung autotransplantation in dogs. This method nullified or minimized both narrowing and loss of vascular distensibility due to scar formation at anastomotic line which inevitably resulted in functional defects after the operation. In this new procedure, bilateral pulmonary arteries were anastomosed using angioplastic techniques and both right and left pulmonary veins were sutured orthotopically as a single atrial cuff. Of 11 dogs which underwent one-stage bilateral lung replantation, 6 survived after operation. Sites of vascular anastomoses in the long-term survivors showed no narrowing due to scar formation at autopsy after hemodynamic examination. In these animals rapid and continuing infusion of 2000 to 3000 ml of blood or plasma explander was performed within 15 min through an intraatrial catheter. Various hemodynamic values were measured simultaneously. In the dog with bilateral lung transplants pulmonary arterial pressure showed linear increase with an increase in cardiac output when compared with control animal studies. It could be interpreted from these results that some changes occurred in the mechanism of pulmonary circulation of the transplant.

[Prediction of labor onset and difficulty by the multivariate analysis (author's transl)]

Based on the multivariate analysis, we analysed the weekly change of the antepartum cervical ripe (consistency, effacement, dilatation, position) and the station, then predict the labor onset and difficulty retrospectively. 1) According to longterm observation of the internal examination of 210 primipara, in third trimester, the ripe type increased, and the unripe type decreased are found. Because of the intermediate type increased and unmovable in incidence relatively, so based on the former scoring method of mere addition of scores, it appears ineffective to predict the labor onset. 2) We studied primipara 385 and multipara 434 from 6 weeks before labor. Based on the multiple regression analysis, we could predict the labor onset. The predict value is higher in multipara than primipara, on the primipara, 78.2% antepartum 6 weeks, 82.2% 4 weeks, 92.6% 2 weeks, and on the multipara 84.6%, 82.2%, 96.2% respectively. 3) Based on the method of Mahalanobis' generalized distance, we could predict the labor difficulty in the primipara and multipara. Accuracy of abnormal prediction are 77.1% at 4 weeks formula, 77.2% at 2 weeks formula on primipara; 69.0%, 69.2% respectively on multipara. Accuracy of normal prediction 53.3%, 56.9% on primipara; 30.9% (4 weeks formula) on multipara are found. The abnormal prediction is better than the normal prediction. This method can early predict the labor onset and difficulty than the former scoring method of mere additional scores.

Immune elimination of host fibroblasts for the cultivation of human tumors transplanted into nude mice

We report here a useful method for the isolation and cultivation of human tumor cells in vitro from human tumors grown in nude mice. A rabbit was immunized with spleen cells obtained from adult nude mice. The rabbit antiserum in the presence of complement effectively killed cultured cells derived from various mouse tissues, but it was not cytotoxic to cultured cells from human tissues including tumors. When mixed cultures consisting of human tumor cells and nude mouse fibroblasts were treated with the antiserum and complement, the nude mouse fibroblasts were completely removed from the cultures, and the human tumor cells could be propagated without noticeable changes in morphological features. Primary cultures of heterotransplanted human tumors grown in nude mice were also successfully treated, resulting in the ultimate elimination of fibroblastic cells derived from the stroma of the tumor. The functional properties of the tumor cells (production of human chorionic gonadotropin by choriocarcinoma cells and production of carcinoembryonic antigens by pancreas carcinoma cells) were also maintained after the antiserum treatment.

Comparison of some properties of polyether and polysulfide materials

Based on the present measurements on working time, setting time, and compression set of polyether and polysulfide materials, the following observations were made: 1. The manufacturer recommends a working time for polyether that is approximately 40 seconds more than that indicated by the clinical or ADA test. 2. Clinically, if more working time is desired, polysulfide impression material should be used. 3. Polysulfide material is more sensitive to temperature change than the polyether material. 4. If the material is allowed to set longer, the percentage change in compression set decreases. 5. For polyether, an increase in setting time of 2 minutes will significantly reduce the distortion of the impression upon removal.