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.     

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.     

Effect of Pretreatment with Carbimazole in Patients with Thyrotoxicosis Subsequently Treated with Radioactive Iodine

Preliminary treatment with carbimazole in a series of 181 patients with thyrotoxicosis selected for treatment with radioactive iodine did not make any significant difference to the subsequent response to ¹³¹I therapy.     

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.