Changes in the quality of life of people with learning disabilities who moved from hospital to live in community-based homes

This paper describes a longitudinal study of the change in quality of life experienced by 36 residents of community-based homes after leaving a hospital for people with learning disabilities. The measure used to evaluate quality of life was Living in a Supervised Home: A Questionnaire on Quality of Life (Cragg and Harrison, 1986). The questionnaire was completed before and after the study group left the hospital. The analyses of the scale shows that there has been a considerable improvement in the quality of life of people who have moved from hospital to community-based homes. Specific data are presented from quality of life sub-scales relating to the use of community facilities and contact with other members of the community.

Cell membrane perturbation of resting T cells and thymocytes causes display of activation antigens

Three human lymphocyte antigens recognized by monoclonal antibodies OKIa1, OKT9, and OKT10 were found to be minimally represented on resting peripheral T cells (all three) and thymocytes (OKIa1 and OKT9). These antigens, which are present on "activated" T cells, were promptly displayed on "resting" T cells or thymocytes following cross-linking of surface-bound monoclonal antibody by horse alpha-mouse IgG. These experiments suggested that membrane perturbations may induce the expression of certain antigens that are normally present in an unexpressed form in resting cells.

Resting and activation antigens of T cells: studies with OKT10 and OKT20 monoclonal antibodies

OKT10 and OKT20 are monoclonal antibodies that recognize cell surface antigen(s) on resting thymocytes, plasma cells, null cells, monocytes, and some bone marrow cells. The respective antigens, poorly expressed on resting peripheral T cells, are strongly expressed on T cells activated either in vitro or in vivo. Double-staining experiments using either OKT10 or OKT20, in combination with OKT3, provided paradoxical results. If indirect staining with OKT3 plus horse alpha-mouse IgG preceded staining with OKT10 or OKT20, most cells showed double staining; all other staining sequences yielded the expected result that OKT3+ cells expressed very little OKT10 or OKT20. Analysis of the experiments revealed that perturbation of the cell membrane with a monoclonal antibody reactive with a cell surface antigen (for example, OKT3) followed by a crosslinking second antibody caused the expression of these antigens. This suggests that these antigens, normally expressed on activated T cells, are actually present in an unexpressed form within the membrane of resting T cells.

Creating a useful panel of anti-T cell monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies to human T lymphocyte surface markers were produced by cell fusions between splenocytes from mice, immunized with T lineage cells, and mouse myeloma cells. Our approaches to immunization, clone selection and analysis of the resultant monoclonal antibodies with similar reactivities were produced. In one example, we found that several distinct monoclonal antibodies identified the same T inducer subset yet, apparently, recognized epitopes of the differentiation antigen(s) on these cells.