BCG immunotherapy in stage I melanoma patients

Summary Previously, we have provided evidence for a positive correlation between HLA-DR expression in primary melanoma and early metastasis [3, 4]. In the present study we investigated whether this relationship was modified by adjuvant BCG immunotherapy. The study comprised 107 patients with a stage I high-risk melanoma; 44 patients had been treated with BCG, whereas the remaining patients had not received any adjuvant therapy. There was no difference in disease-free survival between BCG-treated and untreated patients. Disease-free survival was significantly shorter in patients with high expression of HLA-DR antigens in the primary tumor.Subgrouping BCG-treated and control patients according to HLA-DR phenotype of the melanoma revealed a prolongation of disease-free survival in the subgroup of BCG-treated patients with no or low expression of HLA-DR antigens in the primary melanoma. BCG therapy apparently did not influence prognosis of patients with high expression of HLA-DR antigens in the tumor.     

Large granular lymphocytes,Leu 7 reactivity and natural killer cell function in peripheral blood of patients with Hodgkin's disease

Summary The percentage and absolute number of lymphocytes and Leu 7⁺ cells were significantly lower in HD even in active stages. There was no significant difference in the percentage of LGL between the three groups (control, active HD, inactive HD), however, because of differences in counts of lymphocytes the absolute number of LGL was significantly lower in HD even in the active group than that in healthy controls. The absolute count of LGL and Leu 7⁺ cells in patients in remission was significantly higher than that in active HD. Natural cytotoxicity against K-562 cells was also significantly lower in active patients in comparison with controls, while the percentage of cytotoxicity was slightly but not significantly higher in patients in remission than that in the active group. A positive correlation was observed between all the three examined parameters both in controls and in patients with active and inactive HD.     

CO2 sensitive receptors on labial palps ofRhodogastria moths (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae): physiology,fine structure and central projection

Summary The tips of the labial palps ofRhodogastria possess a pit housing uniform sensilla (Fig. 1), histologically characterized by wall-pores and receptor cells with lamellated outer dendrites (Fig. 2). The receptor cell axons project to glomeruli in the deutocerebrum (cf. Fig. 3) which are not innervated by antennal receptors. From their histology as well as from their central projection these sense organs are identical with palpal pit organs of other Lepidoptera (Lee et al. 1985; Kent et al. 1986; Lee and Altner 1986).Physiologically, the palp-pit receptors respond uniformly; they are most excitable by stimulation with carbon dioxide (Fig. 6) while they exhibit relatively moderate responses to various odorants (Fig. 4). The responses to CO₂ (Fig. 7) show a steep dose-response characteristic. In ambient atmosphere (i.e., ca. 0.03% CO₂) the cells are in an excited condition already; the seeming spontaneous activity exhibited in air is decreased if the preparation is kept under N₂ or O₂ or CO₂-free air (Figs. 7, 10). There is hardly any adaptation of the responses to continuous or repeated stimulation (Fig. 8). Perhaps CO₂ sensitivity is correlated with sensilla characterized by both wall-pores and lamellated dendrites. Pilot tests indicate that CO₂ perception might be widespread in the Lepidoptera (cf. Fig. 12), but the biological significance remains obscure.     

Infertility associated with two accessory bisatellited chromosomes

Summary Two extra bisatellited chromosome identified as inv dup (15) (pterq11.2::q11.2pter) were found in an oligoasthenospermic male. Analysis of Ag-staining in the proband and in one fertile brother with a normal karyotype revealed that nucleolar organizer region (NOR) activity was significantly increased in the patient. The frequency of satellite associations was also significantly higher in the index case, but no correlation was found between NOR activity and acrocentric associations. These results suggest that extra NOR activity and the elevated frequency of satellite associations could predispose to gametogenic impairment.     

Inverted neurons in agyria

Summary An anatomoclinical observation of agyria is reported. The karyotype revealed a partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 17. The etiology of agyria is reviewed in the light of this chromosomal abnormality. In addition we describe the peculiar pattern of neurons in the cortex: Golgi stain demonstrated many inverted pyramidal cells in the superficial part of the cortical layer. The mechanism of this abnormality is discussed.     

Lysis of autologous tumor cells by blood lymphocytes tested at the time of surgery

Summary Lymphocyte-mediated lysis of autologous tumor cells (autologous lymphocyte cytotoxocity ALC) was tested at the time of surgery in 108 patients (46 squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, 25 adenocarcinomas of the lung, 19 soft tissue sarcomas and 18 osteosarcomas). The clinical course of these patients in relation to the test results has been published previously. The group was evaluated again after an extended observation time, now with a mean of 80.2 months (range 36–108). The test was rarely positive in patients with metastasis (2 out of 28 experiments).There was a correlation between the ALC results and the postsurgical clinical course for patients without detectable metastasis in that (1) a negative test was invariably a bad prognostic sign, i.e., all 32 patients with negative ALC died within 3 years (mean survival time 16.1 months). (2) The remission and survival times were longer for the ALC positive patients (p<0.001). (3) All 37 individuals who are alive at present without recurrence belong to the reactive group.The ALC results correlated with the clinical course in 88% of patients. The correlation was highest for the groups of soft tissue sarcoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. There was no correlation between killing of K562 cells and ALC, or between lymphoproliferative response to PHA and ALC reactivity.     

Characterization of thermophilicCampylobacter: I. Carbon-substrate utilization tests

The carbon-substrate utlization profile of 234 wild strains of thermophilic campylobacters originating from different animal sources and different part of the world was studied using a microgallery as well as the profile of 25 type strains ofCampylobacter species and reference strains ofCampylobacter-like organisms. Among the 98 substrates tested, succinate, fumarate,d-l-lactate,l-malate, pyruvate,l-glutamate,l-aspartate, andl-serine (with one exception for the last two) were always utilized by the wild strains, and acetate, propionate,d-malate, 2-cetoglutarate, itaconate, citrate, andl-proline by some of the strains. A strong association was found between assimilation ofd-malate and a positive hippurate test.     

Characteristics of the "no-reflow" phenomenon in reperfusion of the myocardium depending upon the duration of ischemia

The dynamics of changing dimensions of "no reflow" area following reperfusion after 30 min-1 h-long ischemia is characterized by three basic phases. The reperfusion following and hour-long ischemia altered considerably the character of phases of "no reflow" phenomenon. The data obtained suggest that the therapy of transitory ischemia must be directed not only to ischemia itself, but also to postischemia reperfusion-induced "no reflow" phenomenon.     

Nucleotide sequence of the rice cytochrome f gene and the presence of sequence variation near this gene

The rice (Oryza sativa L. var. Labelle) chloroplast (cp) gene encoding cytochrome f has been isolated and sequenced. The coding region of this rice gene displays 95.1%, 85.3% and 85.2% nucleotide sequence homology with that of wheat, pea and spinach, respectively. To examine the cpDNA sequence variation in rice, cpDNA from Labelle and its parents, Belle Patna and Dawn was compared. Using the cytochrome f gene as the probe for hybridization, we found several differences in the size and number of restriction fragments in the cp genome of three rice varieties. An additional restriction fragment found in the Belle Patna cp suggests that this cp genome is either heterogeneous or contains two copies of cytochrome f gene per cpDNA.     

Cloning and sequencing of mRNAs coding for two adult alpha globin chains of the salamander Pleurodeles waltlii

A cDNA library of erythrocyte mRNAs was established from immature red blood cells of the adult amphibian, Pleurodeles waltlii (urodele; salamander). The cDNA clones corresponding to the four adult globin chains were first identified and characterized by positive selection and the cDNAs derived from the two (major and minor) alpha-globin chains sequenced. The sequences presented contain both the complete 3'-noncoding region and the coding region of both chains, with the exception of the first nine codons of the minor alpha-chain, and a portion of the 5'-noncoding region of the major chain. The amino acid sequences of the encoded alpha-globin polypeptides have been deduced and compared with those of Xenopus laevis and of man. These comparative studies suggest that the alpha-globins of Pleurodeles waltlii and Xenopus laevis may have diverged from a common ancestral gene at the time when mammalian and amphibian lines diverged, and that they then evolved separately. Duplication of the alpha-gene, which is responsible for the polypeptide heterogeneity, appears to have occurred earlier in Pleurodeles waltlii than in Xenopus laevis.