An Empirical Comparison of Commonly Used Universal Rating Scales for Dystonia

Background

There are several widely used clinical rating scales for documenting the severity and distribution of various types of dystonia.

Objectives

The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of the most commonly used scales in a large group of adults with the most common types of isolated dystonia.

Methods

Global Dystonia Rating Scale (GDRS) and the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFM) scores were obtained for 3067 participants. Most had focal or segmental dystonia, with smaller numbers of multifocal or generalized dystonia. These scales were also compared for 209 adults with cervical dystonia that had Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) scores and 210 adults with blepharospasm that had Blepharospasm Severity Scale (BSRS) scores.

Results

There were strong correlations between the GDRS and BFM total scores (r = 0.79) and moderate correlations for their sub scores (r > 0.5). Scores for both scales showed positive skew, with an overabundance of low scores. BFM sub-scores were not normally distributed, due to artifacts caused by the provoking factor. Relevant sub-scores of the GDRS and BFM also showed moderate correlations with the TWSTRS (r > 0.5) for cervical dystonia and the BSRS (r > 0.5) for blepharospasm.

Conclusions

The BFM is more widely used than the GDRS, but these results suggest the GDRS may be preferable for focal and segmental dystonias. The overabundance of very low scores for both scales highlights challenges associated with discriminating very mild dystonia from other abnormal movements or variants of normal behavior.

Examining the associations between physical activity, self-esteem, perceived stress, and internalizing symptoms among older adolescents

INTRODUCTION

In older adolescence, stress has been found to be prevalent. It has been seen that higher physical activity (PA) relates to lower stress levels, which, in turn, relates to fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms (internalizing symptoms). However, how these associations function is not fully understood. PA is strongly associated with greater self-esteem in adolescents. As greater self-esteem is thought to aid better coping with stress and has been seen as beneficial for mental health in adolescents, PA may be associated with lower stress and better mental health through self-esteem and more adaptive stress appraisals. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the relationships between PA, self-esteem, stress, and mental health.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was employed, and path analysis was implemented. PA, self-esteem, stress appraisals, distress tolerance, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression were assessed using online questionnaires from 244 adolescent participants from the United Kingdom (aged 15-19, M = 16.75 [SD = 0.82], 145 female).

RESULTS

Path analysis revealed that PA was associated with lower perceived stress through increased self-esteem, adaptive appraisals, and higher distress tolerance (total standardized indirect effect; p = .007 (-0.25 to -0.11). Moreover, lower perceived stress was associated with lower anxiety (standardized direct effect; p < .001 [2.65-4.0] and depressive symptoms (standardized direct effect; p < .001 [0.33-0.63]).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that higher PA could be effective in improving mental health among older adolescents, due to its association with perceived stress through higher self-esteem and more adaptive appraisals of stress.

The Dystonia Coalition: A Multicenter Network for Clinical and Translational Studies

Dystonia is a movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal postures, repetitive movements, or both. Research in dystonia has been challenged by several factors. First, dystonia is uncommon. Dystonia is not a single disorder but a family of heterogenous disorders with varied clinical manifestations and different causes. The different subtypes may be seen by providers in different clinical specialties including neurology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and others. These issues have made it difficult for any single center to recruit large numbers of subjects with specific types of dystonia for research studies in a timely manner. The Dystonia Coalition is a consortium of investigators that was established to address these challenges. Since 2009, the Dystonia Coalition has encouraged collaboration by engaging 56 sites across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Its emphasis on collaboration has facilitated establishment of international consensus for the definition and classification of all dystonias, diagnostic criteria for specific subtypes of dystonia, standardized evaluation strategies, development of clinimetrically sound measurement tools, and large multicenter studies that document the phenotypic heterogeneity and evolution of specific types of dystonia.

Physical Activity Protects Against the Negative Impact of Coronavirus Fear on Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The severity of the Coronavirus pandemic has led to lockdowns in different countries to reduce the spread of the infection. These lockdown restrictions are likely to be detrimental to mental health and well-being in adolescents. Physical activity can be beneficial for mental health and well-being; however, research has yet to examine associations between adolescent physical activity and mental health and well-being during lockdown. Purpose: Examine the effects of adolescent perceived Coronavirus prevalence and fear on mental health and well-being and investigate the extent to which physical activity can be a protective factor against these concerns. Methods: During United Kingdom lockdown restrictions, 165 participants (100 female, aged 13-19) completed an online questionnaire assessing perceived Coronavirus prevalence and fear, physical activity, and indicators of mental health and well-being (stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, vitality, and perceived health). Separate hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses (with age, gender, perceived Coronavirus prevalence, and fear entered in step 1, and physical activity in step 2) were run to predict each well-being outcome. Results: Regression analyses indicated that in general, while Coronavirus fear was a negative predictor, physical activity was a positive and stronger predictor of enhanced mental health and well-being outcomes. Conclusion: Findings suggest that physical activity during the Coronavirus pandemic can counteract the negative effects of Coronavirus fear on adolescent mental health and well-being. Therefore, physical activity should be promoted during lockdown to support good mental health and well-being.

Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Upper Limb Dystonia

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of characteristics in upper limb dystonia remains limited, derived primarily from small, single-site studies.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to characterize demographic and clinical characteristics of upper limb dystonia from the Dystonia Coalition data set, a large, international, multicenter resource.

METHODS

We evaluated clinical and demographic characteristics of 367 participants with upper limb dystonia from onset, comparing across subcategories of focal (with and without dystonia spread) versus nonfocal onset.

RESULTS

Focal onset occurred in 80%; 67% remained focal without spread. Task specificity was most frequent in this subgroup, most often writer's cramp and affecting the dominant limb (83%). Focal onset with spread was more frequent in young onset (<21 years). Focal onset occurred equally in women and men; nonfocal onset affected women disproportionately.

CONCLUSIONS

Upper limb dystonia distribution, focality, and task specificity relate to onset age and likelihood of regional spread. Observations may inform clinical counseling and design, execution, and interpretation of future studies. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Spectral Shearing of Quantum Light Pulses by Electro-Optic Phase Modulation

Frequency conversion of nonclassical light enables robust encoding of quantum information based upon spectral multiplexing that is particularly well-suited to integrated-optics platforms. Here we present an intrinsically deterministic linear-optics approach to spectral shearing of quantum light pulses and show it preserves the wave-packet coherence and quantum nature of light. The technique is based upon an electro-optic Doppler shift to implement frequency shear of heralded single-photon wave packets by ±200  GHz, which can be scaled to an arbitrary shift. These results demonstrate a reconfigurable method to controlling the spectral-temporal mode structure of quantum light that could achieve unitary operation.

Clinical and demographic characteristics related to onset site and spread of cervical dystonia

BACKGROUND

Clinical characteristics of isolated idiopathic cervical dystonia such as onset site and spread to and from additional body regions have been addressed in single-site studies with limited data and incomplete or variable dissociation of focal and segmental subtypes. The objectives of this study were to characterize the clinical characteristics and demographics of isolated idiopathic cervical dystonia in the largest standardized multicenter cohort.

METHODS

The Dystonia Coalition, through a consortium of 37 recruiting sites in North America, Europe, and Australia, recruited 1477 participants with focal (60.7%) or segmental (39.3%) cervical dystonia on examination. Clinical and demographic characteristics were evaluated in terms of the body region of dystonia onset and spread.

RESULTS

Site of dystonia onset was: (1) focal neck only (78.5%), (2) focal onset elsewhere with later segmental spread to neck (13.3%), and (3) segmental onset with initial neck involvement (8.2%). Frequency of spread from focal cervical to segmental dystonia (22.8%) was consistent with prior reports, but frequency of segmental onset with initial neck involvement was substantially higher than the 3% previously reported. Cervical dystonia with focal neck onset, more than other subtypes, was associated with spread and tremor of any type. Sensory tricks were less frequent in cervical dystonia with segmental components, and segmental cervical onset occurred at an older age.

CONCLUSIONS

Subgroups had modest but significant differences in the clinical characteristics that may represent different clinical entities or pathophysiologic subtypes. These findings are critical for design and implementation of studies to describe, treat, or modify disease progression in idiopathic isolated cervical dystonia. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Clinical and genetic features of cervical dystonia in a large multicenter cohort

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the clinical and genetic features of cervical dystonia (CD).

METHODS

Participants enrolled in the Dystonia Coalition biorepository (NCT01373424) with initial manifestation as CD were included in this study (n = 1,000). Data intake included demographics, family history, and the Global Dystonia Rating Scale. Participants were screened for sequence variants (SVs) in GNAL, THAP1, and Exon 5 of TOR1A.

RESULTS

The majority of participants were Caucasian (95%) and female (75%). The mean age at onset and disease duration were 45.5 ± 13.6 and 14.6 ± 11.8 years, respectively. At the time of assessment, 68.5% had involvement limited to the neck, shoulder(s), and proximal arm(s), whereas 47.4% had dystonia limited to the neck. The remaining 31.5% of the individuals exhibited more extensive anatomical spread. A head tremor was noted in 62% of the patients. Head tremor and laryngeal dystonia were more common in females. Psychiatric comorbidities, mainly depression and anxiety, were reported by 32% of the participants and were more common in females. Family histories of dystonia, parkinsonian disorder, and tremor were present in 14%, 11%, and 29% of the patients, respectively. Pathogenic or likely pathogenic SVs in THAP1, TOR1A, and GNAL were identified in 8 participants (0.8%). Two individuals harbored novel missense SVs in Exon 5 of TOR1A. Synonymous and noncoding SVs in THAP1 and GNAL were identified in 4% of the cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Head tremor, laryngeal dystonia, and psychiatric comorbidities are more common in female participants with CD. Coding and noncoding variants in GNAL, THAP1, and TOR1A make small contributions to the pathogenesis of CD.

Development of the Comprehensive Cervical Dystonia Rating Scale: Methodology

We present the methodology utilized for development and clinimetric testing of the Comprehensive Cervical Dystonia (CD) Rating scale, or CCDRS. The CCDRS includes a revision of the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS-2), a newly developed psychiatric screening tool (TWSTRS-PSYCH), and the previously validated Cervical Dystonia Impact Profile (CDIP-58). For the revision of the TWSTRS, the original TWSTRS was examined by a committee of dystonia experts at a dystonia rating scales workshop organized by the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. During this workshop, deficiencies in the standard TWSTRS were identified and recommendations for revision of the severity and pain subscales were incorporated into the TWSTRS-2. Given that no scale currently evaluates the psychiatric features of cervical dystonia (CD), we used a modified Delphi methodology and a reiterative process of item selection to develop the TWSTRS-PSYCH. We also included the CDIP-58 to capture the impact of CD on quality of life. The three scales (TWSTRS2, TWSTRS-PSYCH, and CDIP-58) were combined to construct the CCDRS. Clinimetric testing of reliability and validity of the CCDRS are described. The CCDRS was designed to be used in a modular fashion that can measure the full spectrum of CD. This scale will provide rigorous assessment for studies of natural history as well as novel symptom-based or disease-modifying therapies.

Large-alphabet time-frequency entangled quantum key distribution by means of time-to-frequency conversion

We introduce a novel time-frequency quantum key distribution (TFQKD) scheme based on photon pairs entangled in these two conjugate degrees of freedom. The scheme uses spectral detection and phase modulation to enable measurements in the temporal basis by means of time-to-frequency conversion. This allows large-alphabet encoding to be implemented with realistic components. A general security analysis for TFQKD with binned measurements reveals a close connection with finite-dimensional QKD protocols and enables analysis of the effects of dark counts on the secure key size.

Experimental generation of multi-photon Fock states

We experimentally demonstrate the generation of multi-photon Fock states with up to three photons in well-defined spatial-temporal modes synchronized with a classical clock. The states are characterized using quantum optical homodyne tomography to ensure mode selectivity. The three-photon Fock states are probabilistically generated by pulsed spontaneous parametric down conversion at a rate of one per second, enabling complete characterization in 12 hours.

Application of TAML catalysts to remove colour from pulp and paper mill effluents

A TAML catalyst (0.5 microM, 0.23 mg/L of effluent) combined with hydrogen peroxide (6.5 mM, 0.19 g/L of effluent) were capable of permanently removing 46% of the colour from bleach plant effluent (Eop, pine-derived) in one hour at 5,000 L effluent per day. Increasing concentrations to 2 microM catalyst (0.9 mg/L of effluent) and 22 mM peroxide (0.75 g/L of effluent), resulted in removal of 78% of the colour. In addition, 29% of the chlorinated organic material (AOX) was also removed. A laboratory investigation indicated that the oxidative process predominantly removed phenolic structures. The low aromatic content of the effluent meant that the majority of the organic material was not substantially altered during treatment. Thus chemical oxygen demand was essentially unchanged. This technology was able to remediate colour from effluents derived from both softwood (pine) and hardwood (eucalypt). Laboratory studies on catalyst life-time during effluent treatment, demonstrated that activity was maintained for a sufficient period to eliminate all the chromophore available to the active species, but that the catalyst did not survive long enough to be discharged into the receiving environment. Microtox tests showed that catalyst degradation products were not toxic to the receiving environment.

An audit of Territorial Army Medical Grades on presentation for mobilisation and full time reserve service at RTMC Chilwell

An audit was carried out on a cohort of Territorial Army (TA) personnel passing through RTMC in order to assess the quality of their previous medical assessments compared to that undertaken at the time of their mobilisation. The results confirmed the high downgrading rate (18%) amongst TA personnel compared to previous studies that identified grading error rates of 6-6.5% amongst Regular Army personnel. Errors in the entry medical assessments for TA personnel were also identified in nearly half (44%) of records examined. Possible solutions are identified through improved education of examining medical officers and by increasing the pre-deployment time available to obtain specialist referrals. A case is also made for having improved access to previous medical information, both to improve the quality of the pre-deployment medical screening and to ensure appropriate continuity of care for deployed TA personnel.

Optimal recovery of cytomegalovirus from urine as a function of specimen preparation

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant pathogen among immunocompromised patients. We compared supernatant and sediment fractions of centrifuged urine for the optimal recovery of CMV by shell vial culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of 336 urine specimens, 31 (9.23%) were positive by shell vial culture; of these 29 (93.5%) were identified using the sediment fraction and 17 (54.8%) using the supernatant fraction (p = 0.001, chi2). Of the 29 positive sediment fraction specimens, 24 (82.8%) were identified as CMV positive at 24 h and 5 (17.2%) were identified as positive at 48 h. Two (0.064%) of the total 31 positive specimens were lost to microbial contamination in the sediment inoculated cultures. Of the 17 supernatant fraction specimens, 9 (53.9%) were identified as CMV positive at 24 h and 8 (47.1%) were identified as positive at 48 h. Fourteen (45.2%) of the total 31 positive specimens were lost to either toxicity or microbial contamination in the sediment-inoculated cultures. Thirty-four CMV culture-positive specimens were tested by PCR; 5 of these specimens (14.7%) were PCR negative for both sediment and supernatant fractions; 26 (76.5%) were found to be positive using the sediment fraction and negative using the supernatant; 3 (8.8%) were PCR positive for both the sediment and the supernatant. None of the 34 was identified as positive using the supernatant fraction only (p = 0.001, chi2). These findings demonstrate that the method of specimen preparation can significantly affect the outcome of diagnostic testing for CMV from urine specimens.

Delayed xenograft rejection of pig-to-baboon cardiac transplants after cobra venom factor therapy

BACKGROUND

This study sought to (i) investigate the efficacy of cobra venom factor (CVF) in preventing hyperacute rejection (HAR) after pig-to-baboon heart transplantation, (ii) examine the effect of additional splenectomy (Spx) and pharmacologic immunosuppression (IS), and (iii) study delayed graft rejection when HAR is avoided by complement depletion.

METHODS

Eleven recipient baboons received heterotopic pig heart transplants. Three received either no therapy or IS (cyclosporine + methylprednisolone +/- cyclophosphamide +/- methotrexate) at clinically well-tolerated doses, with graft survival for only 40, 32, and 15 min, respectively. Two received CVF+/-Spx, which extended survival to 5 and 6 days, respectively. Six underwent Spx + CVF therapy + IS; graft survival was 3 hr (technical complication), 6 days (death from sepsis), 10, 12, and 22 days (vascular rejection), and <25 days (euthanized for viral pneumonia with a functioning graft that showed histopathologic features of vascular rejection).

RESULTS

Dense deposition of IgM and, to a lesser extent, IgG and IgA were seen on the endothelial cells within 1 hr of transplantation, but only trace levels of complement deposition were present in CVF-treated recipients. Within approximately 5-12 days, cardiac xenografts showed progressive infiltration by mononuclear cells, consisting primarily of activated macrophages producing tumor necrosis factor-alpha and small numbers of natural killer cells; T and B cells were absent.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that (i) CVF prevents HAR, (ii) the addition of Spx + IS delays rejection, but (iii) the early deposition of antibody leads to progressive graft injury, resulting in (iv) delayed vascular rejection. Our findings indicate that the features of delayed xenograft rejection described in small animal models also occur in the pig-to-baboon model, and that rejection may occur in a complement-independent manner from the effects of antibody and/or host macrophages.

Specimen type as a source of variability in the reproducibility and timing of cytomegalovirus identification by culture

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised individuals; therefore, rapid and accurate diagnosis is essential. We compared positive cultures (n = 147) from different specimen types as to (a) the incubation time to a positive result and (b) the reproducibility of positive findings in replicate cultures. Five replicate shell vials were inoculated from each specimen: Two vials were stained at 24 h, two at 48 h, and one held and observed for a maximum of 30 days. Positive cultures from tissue biopsy specimens required the shortest incubation (mean = 1.9 days) and urine specimens the longest (mean = 3.9 days) (P < .005). Tissue biopsy specimens were the most reproducible (48.4% of specimens were positive in five of five replicates) and urine specimens the least (no specimens were positive in five of five replicate vials) (P < = .0002). The observed interspecimen variability is important because failure to understand and adjust for these differences could negatively influence the ability to identify CMV in culture.

Measles immunity in employees of a multihospital healthcare provider

OBJECTIVE

To assess the potential for nosocomial measles transmission by measuring seropositivity among healthcare workers in Utah.

DESIGN

Blood specimens were collected for measurement of measles IgG antibody by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Individuals with undetectable or equivocal antibody levels were considered at risk for infection. Employees were grouped according to the decade of their birth, and analyses of serological findings were done by the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for trend.

SETTING

The study was performed in a healthcare organization comprised of six urban and 10 rural hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

Employees (n = 5825) were tested regardless of age, history of disease, or immunization.

RESULTS

There were 599 employees (10.3%) who were nonimmune. A trend showing age-related differences in immunity was not noted among employees born prior to 1957 (4.7% nonimmune). However, for employees born after that time, there was a significant age-associated increase in the percentage of susceptible individuals (P = 0.00001). The rate of susceptibility was 8.1% for individuals born between 1957 and 1959, 16.3% for individuals born during the 1960s, and 33.7% for those born in the 1970s.

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that employees born after 1960 represent a material risk for transmission of measles in the hospital setting. Despite the low percentage of susceptibility among those born before 1957, the 144 susceptible individuals in this group also are at risk for measles transmission. Thus, during periods of increased measles prevalence, we would recommend screening all healthcare workers regardless of age and vaccinating those who are susceptible.

Discordant xenograft rejection in an antibody-free model

Newborn pigs prevented from suckling colostrum were shown to have less than 0.05 micrograms/ml total immunoglobulin present in their serum. Rabbit heart xenografts transplanted heterotopically into the neck of such pigs were hyperacutely rejected, with a mean survival time of 92 +/- 14 min (mean +/- SD). Pigs which had been allowed to suckle and whose serum contained 10-15 mg/ml maternal immunoglobulin hyperacutely rejected rabbit heart xenografts in 109 +/- 62 min. Histological studies showed no Ig binding but complement component 3 (C3) binding to rabbit hearts placed in immunoglobulin-negative pigs. Prolongation of rabbit heart xenograft survival was achieved by administering cobra venom factor (1 mg/kg) to the pigs pretransplant. These data show hyperacute xenograft rejection in the absence of antibody and suggest that its cause is activation of complement by the alternative pathway.

Relapsing fever associated with ARDS in a parturient woman. A case report and review of the literature

We report a patient who survived acute respiratory failure associated with tick-borne relapsing fever in the third trimester of pregnancy. The fetus was delivered by cesarian section and did not have spirochetemia. The severity of the patient's illness may be related to the immunosuppressive effects of pregnancy.

Immunofluorescent localization of pig complement component 3, regardless of the presence or absence of detectable immunoglobulins, in hyperacutely rejected heart xenografts

Rabbit heart xenografts transplanted into the neck of newborn pigs were all hyperacutely rejected within two hours regardless of the presence or absence of detectable endogenous immunoglobulins (Ig). Cryostat tissue sections were prepared from the rejected rabbit hearts and incubated with sheep polyclonal antibodies against pig complement component 3 (C3), pig IgG and pig IgM. Specific immunoreaction was visualized by fluorescein-conjugated antibodies to sheep IgG. C3 was localized mainly on the surfaces of vascular endothelial as well as myocardial cells, and the localization was not dependent upon the presence of pig immunoglobulins within the same tissue. Both pig IgG and IgM were detected only in the heart xenografts transplanted into suckled pigs, whereas no trace of immunoglobulin was found in those transplanted into circulating antibody-free presuckled pigs. Treatment with cobra venom factor (which inhibits complement activity) prior to transplantation prolonged xenograft survival and completely abolished C3 immunostaining. The results provide new evidence at the histochemical level that the alternative pathway of complement is involved in hyperacute xenograft rejection of the species combination (rabbit to pig) used in this study.

Presence of human chromosome 1 with expression of human decay-accelerating factor (DAF) prevents lysis of mouse/human hybrid cells by human complement

Xenogeneic organs transplanted to phylogenetically distant species are subject to rapid destruction mediated by complement. In humans, the complement activation is regulated by several proteins encoded by a series of closely linked genes (RCA locus) located on chromosome 1. The mouse/human hybrid cell line B10 was found to have retained human chromosome 1. FACS analysis confirmed that RCA products such as decay-accelerating factor (DAF) were expressed on the membrane surface of B10 cells. When exposed to human or rabbit complement in the presence of 'naturally occurring' human anti-mouse antibodies these cells were not lysed by human complement but were killed by rabbit complement. This effect could be abrogated by addition of anti-DAF monoclonal antibody (IC6). The results offer potential for genetic manipulation of the human complement regulatory products in animals to overcome xenograft hyperacute rejection.

Review of the teaching of medical ethics in London medical schools

The study examined the influence of the Pond Report on the teaching of medical ethics in the London medical schools. A questionnaire was given to both medical students and college officers. All medical colleges reported that ethics was included in the curriculum. However, from students' replies, it seems that attendance of optional courses is low and that not all current final year medical students have had any formal teaching in medical ethics. Stronger guidelines are necessary to ensure appropriate ethical training in London medical schools.

Monoclonal antibodies to blood group antigens on ruminant red cells

Hybridomas were made between NSI/1-Ag-4-1 mouse myeloma cells and spleen cells Balb/c mice immunized with red cells from sheep (SRBC), goats (GRBC) and cattle (CRBC). The monoclonal antibodies thus produced were tested against a panel of RBC from 80 sheep, 20 goats and 100 cattle of known blood types. One antibody reacted with all RBC from all 3 species, two with all GRBC and SRBC but not CRBC, one was specific for SRBC and two others for CRBC. In addition two monoclonal antibodies were reactive in the B blood group system and two in the FV system of cattle. IgM and IgG concentration in ascite fluids reached up to 8 mg/ml. It is concluded that the hybridoma technique has considerable potential for the production of blood-typing reagents.

Culture of sheep X mouse hybridoma cells in vitro

Hybridomas were made between NS1/1-Ag4-1 mouse myeloma cells and spleen and lymph node cells from a sheep immunized with sheep red cells (RBC). The hybrid colonies grew well in culture but there was a substantial loss of sheep chromosomes. No hemolytic or agglutinating antibodies were detected in the culture supernatants after the 17th day following fusion, but immunofluorescence tests indicated that a few of the cells may have been expressing sheep IgG. Cytogenetic comparison of cells grown with and without HAT medium provided evidence that the enzyme HGPRT is located on the X chromosome of sheep as it is in man and mouse. Hybridoma isozyme patterns of esterase, G6PD, 6PGD, NP, LDH and SOD tested between the 63rd and 71st day of culture were like those of NS1; NP and LDH also showed zones that probably came from the sheep component.

Hybridization between T and B lymphoma cell lines

The AKR thymoma line BW 5147 has been successfully hybridized with the IgM-bearing (BALB/c x NZB)F1 B lymphoma line WEHI 231. In the hybrids formed, T-cell characteristics were dominant, i.e. there was no expression of IgM but continued expression of Thy-1.1 in eight out of eight lines. Moreover, in two out of eight lines, the Thy-1.2 allele was also expressed. We conclude that, in its ability to hybridize, BW 5147 is not restricted to cells of similar ontogenetic origin (i.e. T cells) and that fusion with the thymoma can lead to suppression of B-cell gene expression and derepression of genes for T-cell markers.

Spontaneous lesions in the aorta of the common brown hare (Lepus europaeus)

The intimal surface of the aortic arch of 16 of 20 male common brown hares and 10 of 14 females had raised pale yellow to grey-white plaques up to 6 mm in diameter. These lesions were characterised by necrosis and calcification mainly in the tunica media and were not related to the age of the hares. In the hare this vascular disease may develop after injury to the connective tissue during obliteration of the ductus arteriosus. Although these aortic lesions were not the 'spontaneous' atherosclerotic variety they were morphologically similar to those in rabbits.