Degenerative changes in neutrophils: an indicator of bacterial infection

A review was made of 195 peripheral blood smears of 157 neonates who required sepsis work-up in the first month of life. Degenerative changes of neutrophils including vacuolization and toxic granulation were observed frequently in infants with culture-proven bacterial sepsis. Of 21 peripheral blood smears from 20 neonates subsequently proven to have bacterial infection, 17 had vacuolization present in the neutrophils for a sensitivity of 81%, a specificity of 93%, and a positive predictive accuracy of 59%. Toxic granulation changes in neutrophils showed similar results. This simple test can be performed easily in all hospitals; it does not require special laboratory facilities. The test appears to provide a valuable adjunct in the early detection of neonatal bacterial infection.

Anti-HTLV antibodies in cancer patients, hemophiliacs and uremics: a preliminary report

A total of 132 sera were studied for anti-HTLV antibodies using the Biotech ELISA test. Among the HTL group, two were, one, and the other two (+/-). Among 23 hemophiliacs one was. None of the lympho- and myelo-proliferative disorders, chronic uremics and normal controls showed positive results. Our results show that the ELISA anti-HTLV test is quite specific for HTL and related disorders, but the antibody titers may be low in some cases in the late stage. The significance of frequent high ELISA readings in hepatomas and NPCs awaits for further studies. The occurrence of one hemophiliac with definite positive anti-HTLV calls for a routine screening of the blood preparations for HTLV.

Morphological and functional comparisons of Peyer's patches in different parts of the swine small intestine

Fifteen conventional 8-week-old pigs were used to compare the morphology and function of Peyer's patches (PP) in different parts of the small intestine with special emphasis on the dome epithelium (DE). The comparisons were done by morphological observation through light and electron microscopy, and by the ability of the DE complex to phagocytize horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Dome epithelium of the PP in the jejunum was more superficially located in the mucosa in comparison with the ileum. The DE's of the ileum were much smaller, with an area of 3.7 micron2/DE, than that of the jejunum (18.4 micron2/DE). The number of DE areas/5 cm2 in the ileum was more than in the jejunum. However, the total surface area of DE/5 cm2 of PP, was larger in the jejunum (180.5 micron2) than in the ileum (55.6 micron2). Brown discoloration of diaminobenzidine-hydrogenperoxide (DAB+H2O2)-treated PP specimens, after HRP inoculation, intensified with post-inoculation time from 20 s to 5 min. The brown pigment first appeared on the surface of microvilli and infiltrated into the dome. No morphological differences were observed between the jejunum and the ileum in 1 micron thick Epon-embedded specimens. Intramucosally, brown pigment was almost always found in DE areas. The pigmented areas were more numerous in the jejunum but the color intensity showed no obvious difference. By transmission electron microscopy, the electron dense materials (which were interpreted as the products of HRP and DAB+H2O2) were found between the microvilli of membraneous (M) cells, in the intercellular spaces of the DE, and in a form similar to intracytoplasmic vesicles in the cytoplasm of M-cell and DE complex lymphocytes. Our results confirmed that DE of PP had much stronger phagocytic activity than did the ordinary villous epithelium. This evidence indicates that the DE complex of PP in the swine intestine is immunologically important.

Uncomplicated selenium deficiency produced in chicks fed a corn-soy-based diet

Day-old chicks were fed a practical-type diet based on corn- and soybean meal produced in a severely Se-deficient area of northeastern China. The diet contained 0.007 ppm Se and resulted in marked decreases in the activities of Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase in plasma and pancreas within 6 days of feeding. Chicks fed this basal diet showed histological signs of acinar atrophy of the pancreas, hyaline body formation, vacuolation and cytoplasmic shrinkage by 18 days and significantly elevated activities of amylase in plasma by 30 days. Each of these changes was prevented by supplementing the basal diet with Se to bring it to a level of 0.20 ppm. Chicks fed a Se-deficient purified diet based on crystalline amino acids also showed decreased Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase activities in plasma and pancreas, pancreatic damage as evidenced by histological examination and increases in plasma amylase activities. However, these signs of nutritionally induced pancreatic atrophy occurred sooner and were of greater magnitude than those observed in Se-deficient chicks fed the practical diet within the 30-day experimental period. These results, therefore, constitute the first report of nutritionally induced pancreatic atrophy in Se-deficient chicks fed a diet containing intact protein, and we suggest that a factor(s) associated with the practical diet acts to partially protect the chicks from this pathological consequence of severe Se deficiency.

A multiple approach to the study of high dose laser lesions on the retina

The retinae after high dose laser treatment were followed for a period of 60 d. Histochemical evaluation (cytochrome oxidase and succinic dehydrogenase reactions), neurochemical evaluation (labelled DOPAmine uptake) as well as ERG recordings of the lesioned eyes were performed in this period. It was found that the results of different evaluations agreed well with each other and with our previous E.M. studies.

Anti-Epstein-Barr virus antibody in patients with cancer of various sites and control groups

Sera collected from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC, 321 cases), cancer of the other sites (297 cases), diseases of the ear, nose and throat (64 cases) and neighborhood controls matched for age and sex (817 cases) were titrated for antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody technique. High anti-EBV antibody titers (greater than or equal to 1:640) were noted in 55% in patients with NPC but only less than 31% were noted for the other 3 groups. The differences in the distributions of anti-EBV antibodies are statistically significant. The geometric mean levels of the antibody titers were 1:342 for the patients with NPC but less than 1:178 for the other 3 control groups. The relative risks shows that more than 40 times higher risk for those with equal to or higher than 1:640 antibody titers than those with lower than 1:40. The patients with NPC also show for higher ridit scales than the other 3 groups. The etiology of NPC was discussed with our findings.