Identification and characterization of mitochondria autoantigens in progressive systemic sclerosis: identity with the 72,000 dalton autoantigen in primary biliary cirrhosis

Sera from eight out of 62 (14.5%) patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) reacted by immunoblotting with a 72,000 dalton antigen and one, a patient with concomitant primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), reacted with the 72,000 dalton and a 47,000 dalton antigen. Reactivity with these antigens was not seen with any of 111 control sera. The antigens with minor variations in m.w. were present in a variety of cultured cells and tissue homogenates from different species. Subcellular fractionation studies localized the antigens to the mitochondria. Of 19 sera from patients with other diseases selected for immunofluorescence staining for anti-mitochondria autoantibody, nine reacted with the 72,000 dalton antigen, seven reacted with both the 72,000 and 47,000 dalton antigens, and three reacted with the 47,000 dalton antigen. These results show that serum reactivity with the 72,000 dalton and 47,000 dalton mitochondria autoantigens is found with some patients with PSS. Because mitochondria autoantibodies that are reactive with the 72,000 dalton and 47,000 dalton polypeptides are also found in patients with PBC, the present finding provides additional support for the association of PSS with PBC. Prior absorption of rat liver homogenate with PBC sera removed PSS serum reactivity with a 63,000 dalton antigen, the equivalent 72,000 dalton antigen in rodents, and vice versa, showing that both PBC and PSS sera recognize the same antigen.     

Use of Stable, Sensitized Cells in Indirect Micro Hemagglutination Test for Amebiasis

Human "O" cells were fixed with pyruvic aldehyde, treated with tannic acid, and fixed with glutaraldehyde. The cells were sensitized with amoeba antigen and stored in a refrigerator. The sensitized cells were used periodically for the indirect hemagglutination test with a battery of sera from patients with intestinal amebiasis and confirmed and unconfirmed amebic liver abscess, and also from negative controls. The same battery was tested with cells sensitized with different batches of antigen and also with fresh sheep cells. None of the cells showed any reaction with negative control sera. The fixed cells remained sensitive and stable throughout the study. Reproducibility of the titers with the fixed cells within each day and from day to day was satisfactory. The titers with fixed human "O" cells were slightly lower than were the titers with fresh sheep cells. The advantages of using stable, sensitized cells are pointed out.     

Identification and characterization of eight porcine pancreatic proteinases, carboxypeptidase A and amylase after electrophoretic separation using specific substrates

Porcine pancreatic hydrolases in juice and homogenate surveyed by electrophoretic separation in agarose gel, at pH 8.6 and subsequently characterized using substrates of various specificity, either directly in the gel or after transfer to nitrocellulose (enzymoblotting) showed: Anodal and cathodal trypsin with Bz-Arg-pNA. Chymotrypsin A, B, and C with similar, but not identical, activities to Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA, Bz-Tyr-pNA, Suc-Phe-pNA and Ac-Phe-beta NE and with differences in their molecular weights and electrophoretical charges. Elastase I and protease E with Suc-(Ala)3-pNA and MeO-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-pNA and elastase I also with elastin. Elastase II with the chymotrypsin substrates and with elastin. Carboxypeptidase A with CN-Phe. Amylase with blue starch polymer.     

Role of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in discriminating patients with rheumatoid arthritis from patients with chronic hepatitis C infection-associated polyarticular involvement

This study was performed to assess the utility of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies in distinguishing between patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and patients with polyarticular involvement associated with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Serum anti-CCP antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) were evaluated in 30 patients with RA, 8 patients with chronic HCV infection and associated articular involvement and 31 patients with chronic HCV infection without any joint involvement. In addition, we retrospectively analysed sera collected at the time of first visit in 10 patients originally presenting with symmetric polyarthritis and HCV and subsequently developing well-established RA. Anti-CCP antibodies and RF were detected by commercial second-generation anti-CCP2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunonephelometry respectively. Anti-CCP antibodies were detected in 23 of 30 (76.6%) patients with RA but not in patients with chronic HCV infection irrespective of the presence of articular involvement. Conversely, RF was detected in 27 of 30 (90%) patients with RA, 3 of 8 (37.5%) patients with HCV-related arthropathy and 3 of 31 (9.7%) patients with HCV infection without joint involvement. Finally, anti-CCP antibodies were retrospectively detected in 6 of 10 (60%) patients with RA and HCV. This indicates that anti-CCP antibodies can be useful in discriminating patients with RA from patients with HCV-associated arthropathy.     

Effects of applications of municipal compost on uptake of copper,zinc and boron by garden vegetables

Summary Municipal compost applied to soils in plot experiments with cabbages, lettuces, beans, potatoes and peas in three successive years (25–100 tonnes per hectare) has produced significant enhancement of available soil Cu, Zn and B in each year. Associated significant increases in uptake were as follows: Cu, Zn and B with lettuces and beans, Zn and B with potatoes and B with peas. No significant increases in uptake of any of these elements was obtained in two experiments with cabbages.Compost treatment was associated with severe phytotoxic effects in the experiment with beans and with yield responses in the experiments with peas and potatoes. re]19721116     

Unresponsiveness of rat peritoneal mast cells to immunologic reactivation.

Rat peritoneal mast cells cocultured with 3T3 fibroblasts (MC/3T3) were activated with Ag or with anti-IgE antibodies in the presence of Ca2+, and their responsiveness to a second similar challenge was evaluated. MC/3T3 were presensitized with IgE anti-DNP antibodies and activated with DNP-human serum albumin. When these MC/3T3 were reactivated with the same Ag 2 and 6 h later, they released only a minimal percentage of histamine. A gradual recovery of responsiveness was detected during the first 7 days after activation, and a full recovery was attained by days 14 to 21. A similar pattern of unresponsiveness was observed when MC/3T3 were challenged and rechallenged with cercarial Ag after presensitization with anticercarial serum. Activation of MC/3T3 with one Ag (DNP-human serum albumin or cercarial) and rechallenge 3 days later with the other Ag did not overcome the state of partial unresponsiveness. Challenging MC/3T3 with anti-IgE led to a subsequent unresponsiveness to rechallenge with the same ligand, regardless of whether or not the cells were presensitized with IgE antibodies. Cross-linkage with anti-IgE resulted in a more intense and prolonged state of unresponsiveness in comparison with that observed with Ag. When MC/3T3 activated with anti-IgE were rechallenged with various IgE-independent agents they released a percentage of histamine comparable to that of control cultures challenged with these secretagogues for the first time. MC/3T3 partially resynthesized their histamine content during the two-week period after activation. Our results suggest that MC undergo a temporary state of "physiologic" unresponsiveness after immunologic activation in the presence of calcium ions.     

妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进症23 例临床分析

目的:探讨妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进症的孕妇的妊娠结局,对母体造成的影响,抗甲状腺药物的使用情况及分娩方式。方法:对23例甲状腺功能亢进孕妇进行了回顾性分析,观察该病对孕妇的影响,对母儿造成的不良结局。结果:23例甲状腺功能亢进孕妇合并轻度妊娠高血压综合征的2例,中度4例,重度2例。合并心衰6例,合并胎膜早破5例,胎盘粘连2例,甲状腺危象1例,胎盘早剥1例,产后出血1例,前置胎盘1例。23例甲状腺功能亢进顺产6例,产钳1例,胎头吸引1例,剖宫产15例。出现早产9例,其中5例为医源性早产。胎儿宫内窘迫6例,死胎1例。结论:妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进症常危及母婴健康,为降低母儿风险,孕前需很好地控制病情,孕期密切监控,合理治疗。     

Immunohistochemical heterogeneity of alpha-tubulin in human epithelia revealed with monoclonal antibodies

Summary Four monoclonal antibodies raised to alpha subunit of pig brain tubulin (TU-01, TU-02, TU-03, TU-04) were used to study immunohistochemical heterogeneity of alpha tubulin in human epithelia. Selective reactivity was detected in the skin and trachea/bronchi, whereas all other epithelia investigated reacted uniformly with all four monoclonal antibodies. In the skin TU-01 reacted very strongly with all layers except the basal layer; TU-02 reacted strongly with granular layer and was unreactive or only weakly reactive with others; TU-03 reacted very strongly with basal layer and weakly to moderately with superficial layers; TU-04 reacted strongly with the granular layer of epidermis and was unreactive with other layers. In the trachea and major bronchi TU-01 reacted with the entire epithelial layer; TU-02 reacted only with superficial layer; TU-03 reacted with superficial and basal layer; TU-04 reacted only with superficial layer. Different staining patterns obtained with these four monoclonal antibodies indicate that there is immunohistochemical heterogeneity of alpha tubulin in some but not all normal human epithelia.     

Echocardiographic Findings in Patients With Normocalcemic Primary Hyperparathyroidism Compared With Findings in Hypercalcemic Primary Hyperparathyroid Patients and Control Subjects

ObjectiveThere are no data regarding echocardiographic parameters in patients with normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (NCPHPT). We compared the echocardiographic findings in postmenopausal women with NCPHPT with those in patients with hypercalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and controls.MethodsSeventeen consecutive Caucasian postmenopausal women with NCPHPT were compared with 20 women with hypercalcemic PHPT and 20 controls. Obesity, diabetes, kidney failure, and previous cardiovascular diseases were considered exclusion criteria. Each patient underwent biochemical evaluation, bone mineral density scan, and echocardiographic measurements. Patients with parathyroid disorders underwent kidney ultrasound evaluation.ResultsPatients with PHPT had significantly higher mean total serum calcium, ionized calcium, 24-hour urinary calcium, and parathyroid hormone and lower mean phosphorus levels compared with those in the controls (all P < .05). The only differences between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT were significantly lower mean total serum calcium, ionized calcium, and 24-hour urinary calcium and higher phosphorus levels in patients with NCPHPT (all P < .05). The only biochemical difference between patients with NCPHPT and the controls was a higher level of mean parathyroid hormone in patients with NCPHPT. There were no differences in cardiovascular risk factors between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT and the controls. Hypertension was the most frequent cardiovascular risk factor, diagnosed in 65% of patients with PHPT. This high prevalence was not statistically significant compared with that observed in patients with NCPHPT (59%) and in the controls (30%). Echocardiography parameters were not different between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT and the controls when subdivided according to the presence of hypertension (ANOVA followed by Bonferroni correction).ConclusionIn a population with a low cardiovascular risk, we found no differences in cardiovascular risk factors and echocardiographic parameters between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT and the controls.     

Serum lactate dehydrogenase (S-LDH) and S-LDH isoenzymes in patients with testicular germ cell tumors

The activities of serum lactate dehydrogenase (S-LDH) and S-LDH isoenzymes were determined in 252 patients with a history of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT). Fifteen of 37 patients with TGCT lesions and seven of 215 without had raised levels of S-LDH (above 8.0 mukat/l (480 U/l)). Of the patients with TGCT lesions, four had only raised S-LDH-1 levels, one only raised S-LDH-2 (and normal S-LDH), two only raised S-LDH-3 (one with normal S-LDH), and 10 had five combinations of raised levels of S-LDH isoenzymes with a predominance of S-LDH-1. S-LDH and S-LDH-1 correlated significantly with the total tumor volume in the patients with TGCT lesions, especially pronounced in those with lesions from seminoma. Of 34 patients with TGCT metastases, 13 with raised S-LDH levels lived significantly shorter lengths of time than 21 with normal S-LDH. Similarly, 11 with raised S-LDH-1 (above 3.0 mukat/l (180 U/l) lived significantly shorter times than 23 with normal S-LDH-1. S-LDH is a valuable tumor marker in patients with TGCT, especially in those with seminoma. Routine determination of S-LDH isoenzymes in addition to S-LDH in patients with TGCT is not recommended. In patients with a history of TGCT and an unexplained elevation of S-LDH levels, a raised S-LDH-1 level indicates the presence of TGCT lesions.     

Use of adjuvants in modulating the behaviour of Plasmodium berghei

Different adjuvants were assessed for their role in conferring protection against the rodent malarial parasite P. berghei and compared with the classical Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). Pretreatment of mice with trehalose dimycolate (TDM) mixed with antigen (Ag), sulpholipids (SL) mixed with Ag, muramyl dipeptide (MDP) alone, liposomes containing Ag and phosphomannoinositides (PIM) mixed with Ag were ineffective in conferring protection. However, MDP given with squalane (Sq) and Ag, MDP with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) and Ag, palmitoyl-MDP with Sq and Ag, aluminium hydroxide adsorbed Ag, and FCA with Ag were effective in conferring varying degrees of protection to mice. Complete protection in rats was obtained with MDP mixed with Sq and Ag, and FCA mixed with Ag, and a partial protection with liposomes containing Ag.     

New data on aberrant spermatozoa in the ejaculate of Sus domesticus

This paper describes 16 new types of aberrant spermatozoa observed by scanning electron microscopy in the ejaculate of two healthy, sexually mature Landrace boars. The new anomalies observed were 1) spermatozoa with folded tail and abnormal head; 2) tailless spermatozoa with an abnormal connecting piece; 3) immature spermatozoa with two tails of the same length, fused and coiled; 4) spermatozoa with two tails of the same length, fused and coiled, and a small, rounded head; 5) spermatozoa with two fused tails and a wide head; 6) spermatozoa with three tails of the same length, fused and coiled; 7) immature spermatozoa with two heads and two fused tails; 8) spermatozoa with two heads, one at each tip of the tail; 9) spermatozoa with a short, folded tail and a triangular head; 10) spermatozoa with a short tail lacking the intermediate piece; 11) spermatozoa with a short tail, without the main piece and with a long intermediate piece; 12) spermatozoa with a short tail, without the main piece and with a rough head; 13) spermatozoa with small, rounded head; 14) spermatozoa with small, aberrant heads; 15) spermatozoa with small, bacillary heads; and 16) immature spermatozoa with tapering heads.     

THE TOPICAL AND SYSTEMIC USE OF CORTISONE IN DERMATOLOGY

Part I of this report deals with the topical use of cortisone in a variety of skin diseases. Fifteen patients with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, four patients with necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, four with psoriasis, one with lichen planus and one with granuloma annulare were treated with cortisone ointment. All the patients with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus had some degree of improvement. In two patients with chronic lupus erythematosus, complete clearing of the eruption occurred. In four patients with necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum remarkable involution resulted. Patients with psoriasis, lichen planus and granuloma annulare were not benefited.Part II deals with the systemic use of cortisone. Eight patients with severe serum sickness-like penicillin reaction responded dramatically to parenterally administered cortisone. In two cases of pemphigus vulgaris and one case of Sulzberger-Garbe disease, the disease was kept in remission with cortisone administered intramuscularly as well as orally. Partial improvement resulted in a case of localized myxedema associated with malignant exophthalmus. Two patients with exfoliative dermatitis due to therapy with heavy metals responded dramatically to cortisone. No beneficial effects were noted in patients with chronic urticaria and atopic dermatitis.The systemic use of ACTH and cortisone in dermatology at present should be confined to patients with known fatal or hopelessly incapacitating diseases and to patients with extreme hypersensitivity reactions which may be protracted or life-endangering, and which can be controlled or cured with a relatively small total dosage of the agents in a short time.     

Nonverbal Communication and Human–Dog Interaction

Human–dog interaction relies to a large extent on nonverbal communication, and it is therefore plausible that human sensitivity to nonverbal signals affects interactions between human and dog. Experience with dogs is also likely to influence human–dog interactions, and it has been suggested that it influences human social skills. The present study investigated possible links between human nonverbal sensitivity, experience with dogs, and the quality of human–dog interactions. Two studies are reported. In study 1, 97 veterinary students took a psychometric test assessing human nonverbal sensitivity and answered a questionnaire on their experience with dogs. The data obtained were then used to investigate the relationship between experience with dogs and sensitivity to human nonverbal communication. The results did not indicate that experience with dogs improves human nonverbal sensitivity. In study 2, 16 students with high, and 15 students with low, levels of human nonverbal sensitivity were selected. Each of the 31 students interacted once with an unknown dog in a greeting situation, and these human–dog interactions were videoed. We found that a combined score of dog behaviors relating to insecurity was associated with the students' level of nonverbal sensitivity and experience with dogs: the dog showed more of the insecure behavior when interacting with students with a low level of nonverbal sensitivity and no experience with dogs than it did when interacting with students with a high level of nonverbal sensitivity (irrespective of experience with dogs).     

长刺萤叶甲属与短鞘萤叶甲属的外部形态扫描电镜观察

本文对长刺萤叶甲属和短鞘萤叶甲属的头部,口器,触角,体毛,刻点,前胸背板,鞘翅缘折,足的外部形态首次进行了扫描电镜观察,并对结果进行了分析,比较,发现纬度变化引起的形态变异不显著,而海拔的变化引起形态的适应性变化比较显著。因此,对两种不同海拔的萤叶甲进行形态比较,研究萤叶甲在不同地理环境下,其形态的适应性变化提供了有价值的依据。     

多层螺旋CT在诊断小儿急性阑尾炎中的应用

目的:探讨多层螺旋CT对小儿急性阑尾炎的诊断价值。方法:回顾分析经临床手术病理证实的53例小儿急性阑尾炎的CT表现特点。所有患儿均行多排CT横断面扫描及MPVR重建。结果:53例中,单纯性阑尾炎2例;急性化脓性阑尾炎伴周围炎4例,其中1例合并紫癜;急性化脓性阑尾炎伴穿孔33例,其中1例合并回肠末端美克尔憩室;坏疽性阑尾炎伴穿孔6例;阑尾脓肿8例。CT平扫以及MPVR重建显示阑尾肿大、增粗(直径大于6mm)30例,阑尾内粪石27例,阑尾周围蜂窝织炎23例,阑尾周围脓肿8例,大量腹水6例。结论:多层螺旋CT扫描及重建技术能为小儿阑尾炎的诊断提供有力依据,提高临床术前诊断能力。     

Primary gastric lymphoma. A survey of 7 cases

Clinical characteristics and response to therapy of 7 patients with primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the stomach and 1 patient with double malignancy are analysed. All patients but one were gastrectomized and subjected to the chemotherapy (COP, CHOP or leukeran + prednison) programme. In 3 patients (2 with lymphocytic lymphoma and 1 with lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma) no recurrence occurred in the course of the observation time ranging from 18 to 20 months. In one patient with centrocytic lymphoma extra-abdominal recurrence was successfully treated with leukeran + prednison. 4 patients (2 with immunoblastic lymphoma and 1 with lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma) with abdominal or extra-abdominal recurrence died after a period ranging from 4 to 29 months despite more aggressive therapy with CHOP programme. Opinions concerning pathogenesis and treatment strategy of those lymphomas are presented too.     

Immunochemical characterization of the anti-RNA antibodies found in scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus. I. Differences in reactivity with Poly (U) and Poly-(A) Poly (U).

In a previous study, all 40 sera from patients with scleroderma, 20 of 40 sera from SLE patients, but none of 40 sera from normal controls, were found to have antibodies to ssRNA. All scleroderma sera were also found to react with HSA-coupled uridine and UMP and their reaction with HSA-coupled uridine and UMP and their reaction with ssRNA could be inhibited by uracil, uridine, and UMP. To characterize further these uracil-specific anti-RNA antibodies found in scleroderma and compare them with the anti-RNA antibodies found in SLE, we tested their reactivity with Poly (U) and with Poly (A)-Poly (U) and all but one failed to react with Poly (A)-Poly (U). This same serum was the only one in which the reaction with Poly (U) could not be inhibited with uracil. Reactivity of SLE sera was strikingly different from that found in scleroderma sera. Seventeen of 34 SLE sera studied reacted with ssRNA but only four of these reacted with Poly (U). Conversely, two SLE sera that reacted with Poly (U) did not react with ssRNA. Fifteen reacted with Poly (A)-Poly (U) and only two of these failed to react with ssRNA. Five SLE sera which were reactive with ssRNA did not precipitate with Poly (A)-Poly (U). All SLE sera which reacted with Poly (U) could be inhibited with uracil, although less effectively than in scleroderma. Reactivity with Poly (A)-Poly )U) was not inhibited with uracil nor with adenosine. These findings confirm that antibodies to RNA that are found in scleroderma are directed to uracil and thus specific to ssRNA, whereas RNA antibodies found in SLE sera are heterogeneous and directed to either the base, to the site of union of the base and sugar moiety to the ribose backbone, or to the helical structure of double stranded RNA. These differences and the respective antigenic specificities of these anti-RNA antibodies found in scleroderma and SLE may be theoretically important.     

Immunohistochemical Double Staining with Immunogold-Silver and Alkaline Phosphatase to Identify Nuclear Markers of Cellular Proliferation

To facilitate cell kinetics studies of brain tumors labeled with thymidine analogs, we developed a new method to identify nuclei labeled sequentially with bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) and iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) by double staining with immunogold-silver and alkaline phosphatase. Patients received an intraoperative infusion of BUdR: excised tumor specimens were immediately labeled with IUdR in vitro. fixed with 70% alcohol, embedded in paraffin, and cut into 6 pm sections. The sections were incubated first with BR-3. a monoclonal antibody that recognizes only BUdR, and then with IU-4. a monoclonal antibody that recognizes both BUdR and IUdR: sections were counterstained with hematoxylin to identify unlabeled nuclei. Nuclei labeled only with IUdR stained red, whereas those labeled with BUdR or with both BUdR and IUdR stained black against a red background: unlabeled nuclei stained blue. This method was the most efficient differential staining technique to identify nuclei labeled only with IUdR and those labeled with BUdR among unlabeled nuclei.     

Epitopes of peptide 43-88 of guinea pig myelin basic protein: localization with monoclonal antibodies

Two monoclonal antibodies, one raised by immunization with mouse myelin basic protein (MBP) and the second raised by immunization with peptide 68-88 of guinea pig MBP, were compared with respect to specificity. The former antibody (15.32) cross-reacted completely with rat, guinea pig, human, and bovine MBP. It also reacted with peptide 43-88 from each MBP. The latter antibody (22.17) was nonreactive with MBP, but cross-reacted with peptide 43-88 from rat, human, guinea pig, and bovine MBP. When tested with small peptides derived from peptide 43-88, antibody 22.17 reacted with an epitope in the C-terminal region. Antibody 15.32 reacted with an epitope in the N-terminal half of the peptide. The data show that 22.17 reacted with a unique epitope associated only with free peptide, whereas 15.32 recognized an epitope common to both peptide 43-88 and MBP.