Regulation of Ig H chain gene transcription by IL-5

Stimulation of B lymphocytes to high rate Ig secretion is accompanied by increased RNA polymerase initiation on the mu-delta gene complex as well as alterations in the sites of polymerase termination. Stimulation of Ig secretion by in vivo preactivated B lymphocytes with IL-5 seems to operate via a mechanism that only affects polymerase termination so that newly synthesized transcripts are preferentially processed to microS mRNA. The absence of increased polymerase initiation may account for previous observations indicating that IL-5 acts primarily as a terminal differentiation factor.

Regulation of Ig H chain gene transcription by IL-5

Stimulation of B lymphocytes to high rate Ig secretion is accompanied by increased RNA polymerase initiation on the mu-delta gene complex as well as alterations in the sites of polymerase termination. Stimulation of Ig secretion by in vivo preactivated B lymphocytes with IL-5 seems to operate via a mechanism that only affects polymerase termination so that newly synthesized transcripts are preferentially processed to microS mRNA. The absence of increased polymerase initiation may account for previous observations indicating that IL-5 acts primarily as a terminal differentiation factor.

Central tarsal implant in a racing greyhound

Although most type IV fractures in dogs can be treated with screw fixation, type V fractures usually lead to an unsuccessful clinical result. A central tarsal replacement composed of a titanium alloy was developed by our investigation team to treat type V fractures. The implant was used to successfully treat a greyhound and to allow it to return to racing. Continual development of this new surgical procedure hopefully will give the veterinarian predictable and reliable clinical results and return injured greyhounds to active racing.

Contributions of social medicine and systems analysis to formulating objectives for a community-based cancer prevention programme

In the part of Stockholm Cancer Prevention Programme, that is focussing on diet and cancer, the contribution of social medicine has been based on its concern for the relationships between individuals, populations, the environment and the socio-political structure. This has led to the choice of the community intervention approach, based on geographically defined populations, and involving the participation of organisations already active within the relevant areas. The contribution of systems analysis has been based on its concern for explicit models of the processes of cause and effect that lead from intervention to outcome, as a basis for debate and common understanding among the various participants. The combination of the two approaches has helped to clarify the objectives and has shaped the planned pattern of intervention.

Reviewing the process and outcome of hospital care in Europe: the tracer method

A method is described for reviewing and comparing the process and outcome of hospital care, which involves collecting data on a consecutive series of patients with the same medical condition. Criteria for choice of tracer condition are given, and illuminated with reference to fractured neck of femur. The method has been developed in the context of the European Collaborative Health Services Studies, and participants from five countries have been involved. It is concluded that the method is practicable and succeeds in its objectives. The role of health care managers is one of stimulus and support to doctors and nurses who might be interested in carrying out such studies, and a set of stages from the initial idea for a study, through study design and data collection to conclusions for practical change, is described.

The convergent and discriminant validity of the MCMI as a measure of the DSM-III personality disorders

The personality scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) were constructed and validated to measure the typology developed by Millon (1981). The ability of the MCMI to measure the DSM-III personality disorders has not yet been empirically evaluated. The current study found better convergent validity for the DSM-III personality disorders that are consistent with Millon's typology (i.e., the avoidant and the dependent) than for the disorders that are inconsistent (i.e., the antisocial and the passive-aggressive). However, the results may reflect some advantages Millon's typology might have over the DSM-III. The discriminant validity of all four scales was limited, due in part to the overlap among the MCMI scales and the DSM-III personality disorders. We discuss implications of the results for the revision of the MCMI and the DSM-III.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Campylobacter pyloridis: correlation with presence of C. pyloridis in the gastric mucosa

Antibody to Campylobacter pyloridis was measured by ELISA in the sera of 160 patients from whom gastric biopsy specimens were also obtained. The antigen was an acid-glycine extract of C. pyloridis, and titers ranged from 80 to 22,000 ELISA units (EU). Of 117 patients in whom C. pyloridis was detected microbiologically or histologically, 87 (74%) had a titer greater than or equal to 300 EU, and only one had a titer less than 150 EU. Of 43 patients in whom C. pyloridis was not detected, only two (5%) had a titer greater than 300 EU. Thus, for a titer of 300 EU the ELISA test had a specificity of 97% and a sensitivity of 81%. At 150 EU the specificity was 78%, and the sensitivity was 99%. Histological diagnosis of active chronic gastritis was associated with a high median ELISA titer (485 E), chronic gastritis with a much lower titer (150 EU), and normal histology with a titer of 110 EU. Discriminating use of this serological test could be of assistance to detect C. pyloridis in the gastric mucosa.

The MMPI, prototypal typology, and borderline personality disorder

This study demonstrates inherent features in the DSM-III diagnostic criteria for personality disorders (i.e., overlapping diagnoses and heterogeneous symptomatology) that limit efforts to identify a sensitive and specific MMPI profile for the borderline personality disorder. A sample of 71 inpatients was administered an MMPI and a semistructured interview that systematically evaluated each of 81 symptoms for the 11 DSM-III personality disorders. Interrater reliability was substantially higher than has been obtained with unstructured interviews. The effect on the borderline MMPI profile of variation in the number of borderline symptoms and overlap with the schizotypal, histrionic, and antisocial diagnoses was demonstrated. We discuss implications with respect to a prototypal model of classification.

Parallel growth of rectus sheath grafts and recipient aorta. Critical role of graft tissue preservation

Previous experimental studies revealed striking similarities in mechanical properties of host aortic tissue and rectus sheath inserted as an aortic graft, as well as enlargement of some of the grafts. We have now evaluated the capacity of rectus sheath grafts to keep pace with aortic growth and investigated the role of tissue preservation in determining the ability of such grafts to maintain suitable dimensions. Autologous rectus sheath grafts were substituted for thoracic aortic segments in 15 puppies, 8 weeks of age. Nine grafts were inserted with careful attention to tissue preservation (live grafts), but in six experiments, cells were killed and tissues fixed by freezing and thawing in acetone before graft implantation (devitalized grafts). Grafts were fixed in situ by controlled pressure perfusion and examined 1, 2, and 3 months after implantation. Over the 3 month experimental interval, body weight increased from 2.0 +/- 1 pounds to 25.0 +/- 2.5 pounds, and as is characteristic for the period of maximum growth rate for the animals. Total thoracic aortic length increased 41.2% +/- 6.1% and aortic diameter, 30.0% +/- 3.1%, during this time. Growth rate of the total thoracic aortic length during the first month was greater for the devitalized graft group, but aortic length was the same for both groups at 3 months. The live grafts increased 42.3% +/- 12.0% in length and 27.3% +/- 3.0% in diameter, i.e., to the same degree as the aorta, whereas the devitalized grafts showed only slight increases in length and diameter (2.1% +/- 2% and 5.3% +/- 5%, respectively). The live rectus sheath grafts were augmented and largely replaced by a newly formed, layered fibrocellular structure, 45.8 +/- 25.8 mm3 in volume, whereas in the devitalized grafts more of the original rectus sheath persisted and only a minimal amount of organized connective tissue sheath was formed (volume 18.7 +/- 8.9 mm3). In addition, cellularity was much greater in live grafts than in devitalized specimens (990.9 +/- 186.8 cells/mm2 and 423.6 +/- 124.7 cells/mm2, respectively). All of the grafts were lined by endothelium. These findings indicate that autologous rectus sheath aortic grafts may be used to provide channels which keep pace with aortic dimensions during the period of maximum growth, provided that the graft tissue is viable on implantation. Long-term durability of such grafts may also depend on tissue preservation.

Inhibition of corticosterone binding in vitro, in rabbit hippocampus, by chromatin bound aluminum

Brains of patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type and with the dialysis encephalopathy syndrome, exhibit elevated aluminum levels. In Alzheimer's disease and in the experimental aluminum induced encephalopathy, intracellular aluminum is associated with nuclear chromatin. The work reported here was undertaken to test whether chromatin bound aluminum in hippocampus of the rabbit interferes with nuclear binding of corticosterone-receptor complexes. The results showed that the mean binding of corticosterone decreased from 460 +/- 71 fmol/mg DNA in controls, to 343 +/- 81 fmol/mg DNA in hippocampal nuclei from aluminum treated rabbits, representing a decrease of 25%. This reduction occurred in the absence of aluminum induced neurofibrillary degeneration and indicates a possible functional consequence of the presence of aluminum on chromatin, and importantly, in the absence of morphological changes.

Glutamate binding in the rat cerebral cortex during ontogeny

Two binding sites for L-glutamate have been identified on adult rat brain cortical membranes. One of these sites is Na+-dependent with Kd of 1.3 micro M and a Bmax of 210 pmol/mg protein. The other is Na+-independent with a Kd of 0.37 micro M and Bmax of 6.2 pmol/mg protein. There is a sharp rise in total number of Na+-independent sites per cortex up to 20 days postnatally followed by a more gradual rise to adult levels at 50 days. Na+-dependent binding is also low at birth rising to a peak at 20 days followed by a drop in total levels of binding to 30 days and then a very sharp rise up to 50 days. The kinetics of binding at 20 days gives a Kd for the Na+-dependent site of 1.77 micro M and a Bmax of 82 pmol/mg protein. The Na+-independent site at 20 days has a Kd = 1.3 micro M and Bmax of 8.47 pmol/mg protein. The ability of several acidic amino acid analogues to displace specifically bound L-glutamate was investigated by estimating IC50 values at 20 and 50 days of age. The Na+-independent site is stereospecific for L-glutamate at both ages, but will also interact with L-aspartate at 20 days. The Na+-dependent site has a similar affinity for L- and D-glutamate and L-aspartate at 50 days. The L-glutamate analogue kainate will not displace any bound L-glutamate.

Interpretation of serum total calcium

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Characteristic proteins systhesized by suspensions of cells isolated from rat gastric mucosa

The biochemical integrity of rat gastric mucosal cells after isolation with pronase was demonstrated by their synthesis of a wide range of proteins. Approximately 50 bands of pre-existing proteins were detectable by staining on SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels. Most bands appeared readiolabelled after incubating cells with 14C-leucine or 14C-proline and were detected by autoradiography and fluorography of the gels. Recent synthesis, indicated by the radioactivity of each band, was compared with historical synthesis indicated by the intensity of staining. Densitometric comparisons showed the relative specific radioactivity of certain bands, e.g., one of nominal molecular weight 25000, to be consistently higher than the integrated mean value.

Some aspects of management and outcome of acute coronary heart disease in Oxford region

(1) Over 15 months, 532 consecutive admissions to the CCU at the Radcliffe Oxford were studied; of these 333 were cases of myocardial infarction, and 319 were first admissions for this condition. Information about survival and return to work was collected for 300. A further 30 had artificial pacemakers inserted; there were 141 (26%) of the 532 cases which did not require the special care offered by the CCU. (2) Of 300 patients for whom data were available, 27 were recorded as having received DC shock. In hospital, case fatality was significantly higher among those requiring DC shock than among the remainder. Overall the 3-year survival rates were 47 per cent among those receiving shock, and 62 per cent among the remainder, compared with an expected 91 per cent for a population of the same age and sex. (3) Among men aged under 65 years, 6 of 11 who received shock, compared with 117 (77%) who did not receive shock, returned to work after leaving hospital. (4) Rates of admission to the CCU of cases of myocardial infarction per 1000 standardised population among people living in the areas around Oxford City were estimated as being 58 per cent of admission rates of cases among residents of the city. (5) The case incidence of ventricular fibrillation and the case fatality rate were both higher among those living in the environs than among those living in the city, but these differences were not statistically significant. (6) It is also concluded that insufficient is known about the factors underlying the general practitioner's decision to commit a case of myocardial infarction to other than short ambulance journeys or about the effects of such journeys on prognosis.

Discussion paper: the use of glutaraldehyde fixation for the study of the immune response to syngeneic tumor antigen

We have been able to demonstrate that glutaraldehyde fixation of tumor cells or tumor cell membrane fragments protect syngeneic mice against the subsequent challenge with viable cells. To date we have not been able to detect any antibody against the tumor cells in animals so immunized. The specificity of the response is not complete, although a major component of the protective effect of glutaraldehyde-treated tumor cells is immunologically specific.

Immunoreactive gastrin in differential and density gradient fractions of rat gastric mucosa

Immunoreactive gastrin was measured in subcellular fractions of rat gastric mucosa. The sedimentational properties of subcellular gastrin-containing structures were distinct from those of mitochondria. After centrifugation in sucrose density gradients using a zonal rotor, the peak of immunoreactive gastrin was found in 1-17--1-18 g cm(-3) density sucrose (1-35 M; 39-5%, W/W). A thermolabile component with 125I-labelled gastrin-binding activity present in gastric mucosal homogenates and fractions was not associated with the gastrin storage vesicles sedimenting in density gradients.