Interaction of monocytes with tumor cells coated with complement with or without antibody

Raji, a human B lymphoblastoid cell line has the ability to activate the complement cascade by alternate pathway mechanisms with subsequent fixation of C3 to receptors on the Raji cell membrane. Using this property, we examined the role that complement plays in mediating a cytolytic event between human peripheral blood monocytes and Raji cells coated with C3b, antibody, or both. Presence of C3 was confirmed by immune adherence. IgG bound to the Raji membrane was quantitated using I¹²⁵ Staphylococcal protein A assay. The presence of alternate pathway-activated C3 on Raji cells failed to produce monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity. These same target cells subsequently coated with antibody concentration ranging from 200 to >600,000 SPA molecules per Raji cell produced neither enhancement nor inhibition of antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). ADCC was enhanced by complement when complement activation and binding of C3 to the cell surface occurred by classical pathway mechanisms. ADCC of 32% ± 3.2 occurred with undiluted antiserum (625,000 SPA molecules bound/Raji cell) with enhancement to 52% ± 1.1 in the presence of C3. IgG inhibition of ADCC was unaffected by the presence of membrane-bound C3.     

Staining with Fluorescein Diacetate Correlates with Hepatocyte Function

To establish the importance of fluorescein diacetate (FDA) as a viability stain for cultured hepatocytes. we hypothesized that FDA staining would correlate positively with hepatocyte viability and function. Mixtures of live and dead cells were stained with FDA and scanned by flow cytometry. A close correlation was observed between the live cell fraction and percent viability as determined by FDA staining (R² = 0.962). Hepatocytes were also sorted into low fluorescence and high fluorescence groups. Both albumin production and lidocaine metabolism (P-450 activity) were significantly increased in the high fluorescence group compared to the low fluorescence group. An automated, fluorescence-activated assay was useful for rapid assessment of hepatocyte viability. In addition. the intensity of green fluorescence following staining with FDA correlated well with two specific measures of hepatocyte function.     

Chronic pretreatment with methylphenidate induces cross-sensitization with amphetamine

Consequence of the long-term use of psychostimulants as treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is unknown, particularly whether treatment with psychostimulants at an early age increases an individual's potential for cross-sensitization to other stimulants exposed at a later age. Cross-sensitization occurs when pretreatment with one stimulant leads to greater sensitivity to another stimulant. The aims of this study were to investigate whether chronic treatment with methylphenidate (MPD; Ritalin) in both juvenile and adult rats induced cross-sensitization to amphetamine at a later time and whether this cross-sensitization to amphetamine was age-dependent. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four treatment groups: (1) group treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with saline as juveniles and adults, (2) group treated with 0.6 mg/kg amphetamine, i.p., as juveniles and adults, (3) group treated with 2.5 mg/kg MPD, i.p., as juveniles and adults, and (4) group treated with saline, i.p., as juveniles and 2.5 mg/kg MPD, i.p., as adults. All of the animals received an amphetamine (0.6 mg/kg, i.p.) challenge on the last experimental day. We examined the effects of chronic MPD treatment in juvenile and adult rats on their locomotor response to an acute amphetamine exposure. Three different locomotor indices were studied using an automated activity monitoring system. Changes in the locomotor responses to amphetamine of these animals were compared to those of control rats that were pretreated with saline as juveniles and as adults. It was found that prior chronic treatment with MPD produced cross-sensitization to the locomotor response to amphetamine as observed in the horizontal activity and total distance traveled. It also appears that this cross-sensitization to amphetamine may not be dependent on the age of the subjects, i.e., whether subjects were juvenile or adult rats when they received drugs, but rather it depended on the behavioral index examined.     

疏血通联合氟伐他汀治疗糖尿病肾病的临床观察

目的:观察疏血通和氟伐他汀对糖尿病肾病(DN)患者的保护作用.方法:52例糖尿病肾痛患者,均为临床肾病期,随机分为两组,治疗组、对照组各26例,两组患者均予以糖尿病饮食、控制血糖和降血压等常规治疗.对照组疏血通注射液6ml/d静滴,1疗程为3周;治疗组在对照组的基础上加用氟伐他汀40mg每晚1次口服,治疗2月.于治疗前后分别检测血清肌酐(Scr)、24小时尿蛋白(24hUP)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL-C)、血浆脂蛋白-a[LP(a)]、C反应蛋白(CRP)等指标,并进行比较.结果:治疗后和治疗前比较,对照组24hUP、Scr明显降低(P<0.05),治疗组24hUP、Scr、LDL-C、LP(a)、CRP下降(P<0.01或0.05);治疗后3w及2months后,治疗组24hUP、Scr、LDL-C、LP(a)、CRP较对照组下降(P<0.05).结论:疏血通联合氟伐他汀治疗糖尿病肾病减轻尿蛋白、延缓 肾功能减退方面更加安全有效.     

Immunologic correction with immunoglobulin of toxemia with exicosis in infants with acute intestinal infections]

The clinical course of acute intestinal infections complicated by toxicosis and exicosis was studied in 150 infants undergoing multimodality therapy, including natural human immunoglobulin for intravenous injections. The use of the new complex in the treatment of intestinal toxicoses was accompanied by increasing host immunological reactivity within short periods and decreasing of the treatment duration by 5.0 +/- 1.3 days; there were no persisting and chronic forms of the diseases and fatal outcomes. It was concluded that the use of the immunoglobulin for intravenous injections in the multimodality therapy of intestinal toxicoses in infants made it possible to prevent death in complicated intestinal infections and at the same time to accelerate their recovery.     

Partnering with gastroenterologists to evaluate patients with chronic constipation

Constipation is a highly prevalent and bothersome disorder that negatively affects patients' social and professional lives and imposes a heavy economic burden on patients and society. Most patients with chronic constipation are evaluated and treated in the primary care setting. Primary care clinicians often underestimate how much they can accomplish in the evaluation of a patient with constipation before they make a referral. There are numerous steps that primary care clinicians can take to address these issues and maximize the benefits of the referral process, including understanding key elements of an effective diagnostic work-up, familiarizing themselves with the utility of various diagnostic tests of colonic and anorectal function, implementing strategies/instruments to optimally communicate what they are striving to achieve through the referral process (eg, via a referral form), and developing a network of long-term working relationships with local gastroenterologists.     

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome associated with acute pancreatitis

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a systemic infectious disease caused by Hantaviruses and characterized by fevers,bleeding tendencies,gastrointestinal symptoms and renal failure.It encom...     

Schoolchildren cooperate more successfully with non-kin than with siblings

Cooperation plays a key role in the development of advanced societies and can be stabilized through shared genes (kinship) or reciprocation. In humans, cooperation among kin occurs more readily than cooperation among non-kin. In many organisms, cooperation can shift with age (e.g. helpers at the nest); however, little is known about developmental shifts between kin and non-kin cooperation in humans. Using a cooperative game, we show that 3- to 10-year-old French schoolchildren cooperated less successfully with siblings than with non-kin children, whether or not non-kin partners were friends. Furthermore, children with larger social networks cooperated better and the perception of friendship among non-friends improved after cooperating. These results contrast with the well-established preference for kin cooperation among adults and indicate that non-kin cooperation in humans might serve to forge and extend non-kin social relationships during middle childhood and create opportunities for future collaboration beyond kin. Our results suggest that the current view of cooperation in humans may only apply to adults and that future studies should focus on how and why cooperation with different classes of partners might change during development in humans across cultures as well as other long-lived organisms.