The cell surface phenotype of a naturally occurring human suppressor T-cell of restricted specificity: definition by monoclonal antibodies

A series of murine monoclonal antibodies was used to characterize the surface phenotype of a naturally occurring E+ B14-specific suppressor cell present in the blood of a patient with recurrent superficial bladder carcinomas. This suppressor T cell is different from the few naturally occurring suppressors of MLC reported by others in that its function does not require HLA-D compatibility with the cells being suppressed. This patient's T cells had decreased proportions of T3+, 10.2+, 9.3+, and T4+ cells, a normal proportion of T8+ cells, and a markedly increased proportion of Ia-positive cells. The MLC-suppressor assay was used to test the functional activity of cell populations selectively depleted by treatment with monoclonal antibodies and C or enriched by panning. The B14-specific suppressor T cells in this patient expressed T cell markers recognized by monoclonal antibodies 9.6, T3, and the T cell subset marker identified by OKT8 (T8+) but not the subset marker identified by OKT4 (T4-). Ia antigens were present on a substantial portion of these suppressor T cells. Thus, this unique, naturally occurring suppressor T cell has a phenotype similar to that of other T suppressor cells in humans, adding validity to the concept of functionally distinct T cell compartments in human blood.

Peripheral lymphocyte response to PHA and T cell population among atomic bomb survivors

The percentage of T lymphocytes of atomic bomb survivors showed no change as a function of age or exposure dose. The percentage of T cells was slightly lower in malignant-tumor patients than in the control group, but was significantly higher in the group with chromosomal aberrations than in the control group. The percentages of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced transformation of peripheral lymphocytes decreased significantly with age in the 0 rad control group and the 200+ rad exposure group, particularly so in the latter. The malignant-tumor group also showed lower percentages of PHA-induced transformation than the control group. The percentages of PHA-induced transformation of lymphocytes of the chromosomal-aberration group were significantly depressed as compared with that of the control group.

[Study on the serum concentrations of gentamicin after intravenous drip infusion]

Serum concentrations of gentamicin (GM) were monitored after intravenous drip infusion of 60 mg over 30 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours. These concentrations were compared with those after intramuscular injection. The mean peak serum concentration obtained at 30 minutes after intramuscular injection (5.09 micrograms/ml) and those obtained at the end of intravenous drip infusion (5.17--6.66 micrograms/ml) were comparable. Serum concentrations decreased to less than 2.0 micrograms/ml at 6 to 8 hours after injection or infusion in all cases except 1 with less body weight than others. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that the T1/2 of GM ranged from 2.49 to 4.33 hours and that the AUC ranged from 19.66 to 27.09 hr X micrograms/ml. Results obtained in this study suggested that the usefulness of intravenous drip infusion over the time from 30 minutes to 2 hours is equal to that of intramuscular injection in the GM therapy.

Effect of nitrogen dioxide exposure on cyclic GMP in rat lung

In vivo exposure of rats to 10 ppm nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for 6 h caused approx. 5-fold increase in the content of cyclic GMP in lung tissue. This increased cyclic GMP level lasted up to 24 h but returned to the normal level within 2 days, even when the NO2 exposure continued. This increase in the content of cyclic GMP of lung tissue by NO2 exposure was observed in both young and aged rats. There were no statistically significant changes in the content of cyclic AMP in lung tissue.

Glycosaminoglycans in 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-induced rat hepatic cancer

The changes in glycosaminoglycans in livers of rats with 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-induced hepatic cancer were examined and compared with those in fetal liver. The incorporation of 35S into sulfated glycosaminoglycans in hepatic cancer tissue was also studied after i.p. injection of Na(2)35SO4. The major component of glycosaminoglycans in healthy adult rat liver was heparan sulfate (61.7%), with hyaluronic acid (21.1%), dermatan sulfate (13.1%), and chondroitin sulfate (4.0%) as minor components. The quantities of all of the examined glycosaminoglycans were higher in tumors than in normal liver, but chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid were more prevalent in the tumors (about 51 and 7 times higher, respectively). As a result, the share of heparan sulfate was decreased (37.1%) in the tumors. The high content of chondroitin sulfate (about 30 times) and the decreased share of heparan sulfate (29.0%) were also observed in fetal liver. The incorporation of 35S into individual glycosaminoglycans varied markedly. Approximately 90% of the label in glycosaminoglycans of healthy liver was found in a heparan sulfate fraction 4 hr after injection. In hepatic cancer tissue, however, 35S incorporation into both chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate fractions was increased about 6.5- and 5.6-fold, respectively, of those in healthy liver.

Amino acids from the late Precambrian Thule group, Greenland

Amino acids were recovered at concentration level of 10-9 M/g from the interior of chert and dolomite of the Late Precambrian Thule Group. Examination of the stability of amino acids in chert under dry-heating conditions suggests that these amino acids have been preserved with a predominance of L-enantiomers in the precambrian chert. Enantiomer analysis of amino acids in dolomite showed a thermal effect resulting from a late precambrian igneous intrusion. This evidence indicates that the amino acids isolated from the Thule samples were chemical fossils and not recent contaminants.

Kinetics of pretransition in multilamellar dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicle. X-ray diffraction study

The time course of transformation between P' beta phase ad L' beta phase in multilamellar dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicle containing 50% water was followed by small-angle X-ray diffraction. The transformation of P' beta leads to L' beta was 90% complete at 7 min after the temperature jump, although imperfections remained for a long time. Transformation in the opposite direction was fast as compared with P' beta leads to L' beta.

[Two cases with the heart murmur originated from aortocoronary bypass: the diagnostic use of dipyridamole (author's transl)]

Two cases with the heart murmurs considered to be caused by aortocoronary (A-C) bypass surgery were reported. Case 1: A systolic and an early and late diastolic murmurs were noted following A-C bypass surgery. The murmurs were located at the second left intercostal space. After methoxamine, the systolic and early diastolic murmurs increases slightly in intensity, while the late diastolic murmur did not change. Amyl nitrite inhalation slightly increased the intensity of the systolic murmur, but did not that of the diastolic murmur. Dipyridamole injection at a rate of 0.142 mg/kg/min resulted in the increase of both systolic and diastolic murmurs. Case 2: A diastolic murmur was noted following the bypass surgery, which was situated over the fourth left intercostal space, 4 cm outside from the left sternal border. Methoxamine injection intensified the murmur. The murmur was not affected by amyl nitrite. After dipyridamole injection, the murmur was slightly intensified. Dipyridamole is known to dilate coronary vessels without affecting appreciably the systemic circulation. In these two cases, the murmur noted following A-C bypass surgery was increased with dipyridamole, suggesting clinical applicability of this drug in ascertaining the bypass flow murmur.

Ouabain binding to chick embryo neuroretina during development in ovo and in monolayer cultures

Eight-day-old embryo neuroretinas (NR) were dissociated and cultured as monolayer. [3H]Ouabain binding was investigated during the culture period. [3H]Ouabain binding to NR increases continuously until around the tenth day of culture, but after that it gradually decreased. On the other hand, [3H]ouabain binding to NR during in ovo development continued to increase until the embryo was 20 days old. Na-K-ATPase activity was also compared with [3H]ouabain binding during development in ovo and in monolayer culture. It was found that changes in Na-K-ATPase activity of NR in vitro and in ovo were different from those of [3H]ouabain binding activity. Exposure of NR at the second day of culture to 0.1 mM ouabain for 8 h resulted in the degeneration of some differentiated neurons (rosette-formed cells), but new rosettes were soon re-formed after the withdrawal of ouabain, and [3H]ouabain binding to the ouabain-treated NR was decreased by 30%. Ouabain-treatment of NR in 10-day-old cultures completely destroyed the aggregated neurons, but did not apparently injure the glial cell layer. [3H]Ouabain binding decreased more than 90% in the ouabain-treated NR. These results suggest that [3H]ouabain binding activity of NR and the sensitivity to ouabain toxicity are useful indicators for differentiation and development of neurons in the cultured retinal cells.

Slow change in the repeat period of multilamellar dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine accompanied by thermal phase transition

The slow change of the repeat period of multilamellar structures accompanied by a thermal phase transition in dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine containing 50% water was measured by a small-angle X-ray diffraction method employing the temperature-jump technique. The repeat period immediately after the application of a temperature jump from 25 degrees C (fluid state, L alpha) to 22.5 degrees C (crystalline state, P' beta) was observed to be about 1 A larger than that at the steady state (65.1 A), and was then followed by a decrease to a steady value with a relaxation time of 70 min. The slow decrease in the repeat period seems to be due to the transformation from loosely stacked to closely stacked multilamellar structures, the looseness being caused by the formation of contracted domains in each lamella at an early stage of the phase transition from the fluid to the crystalline state.

[Relationship between vascular diameter and intracardiac pressure in tricuspid or pulmonary insufficiency detected by contrast echocardiography (author's transl)]

In order to evaluate the usefulness of contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of tricuspid (TI) and pulmonary insufficiency (PI), 30 patients with various heart diseases and 7 controls were examined. The dimensions of the inferior vena cava and pulmonary artery were also measured on the two-dimensional echocardiogram. Cardiac catheterization was performed in 18 patients to study the relationship between the diameters of the vessels and the intracardiac pressures. The following results were obtained. 1) TI was detected without difficulty by contrast method using two-dimensional echocardiography on the four-chamber view. The diagnostic sensitivity was higher than that of conventional methods. 2) PI was also detected by the parasternal approach. The regurgitation of the contrast material across the pulmonary valve was easily confirmed because of pulmonary arterial dilatation. 3) In the cases with TI, the dimension of the inferior vena cava was larger than 20 mm. The right ventricular systolic pressure and the mean right atrial pressure were higher than 40 mmHg and 6 mmHg, respectively.

Taxonomy of the antibiotic Bu-2313-producing organism. Microtetraspora caesia sp. nov

An aerobic actinomycete strain isolated from an Indian soil sample and designated No. E864-61 was found to produce in submerged fermentation a new antibiotic complex, Bu-2313 (components A and B). Strain E864-61 forms single, pairs or chains of three to eight spores on the aerial mycelium and its aerial mass color is grayish blue-green. The cell wall of strain E864-61 contains meso-diaminopimelic acid and galactose. Strain E864-61 has been classified as a new species of the genus Microtetraspora and designated as Microtetraspora caesia sp. nov.

Serum and liver glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase activity in rats with experimental hepatic cancer

Changes of glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (GPDA) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP) activities were compared in the serum and liver tissue of rats with hepatic cancer induced by 3'-methyl DAB. Serum glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase activity in rats with the azo dye-induced hepatic cancer was significantly higher than that in healthy rats, but the increase was not so extensive compared with that of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The specific activity of glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase was decrease in the microsomal fraction and increased in the supernatant fraction of hepatic cancer tissue, whereas that of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was increased in both microsomal and supernatant fractions. These results suggest that the mechanisms, whereby serum activities of these two enzymes were increased in rats with hepatic cancer, were different from each other.

Electrophoretic fractionation of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in human hepatic cancer

Serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase from patients with various hepatobiliary diseases was fractionated by polyacrylamide gradient gel slab electrophoresis to study the specific patterns of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase fractions in hepatic cancer. On zymograms of normal serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, a total of 10 fractions was observed. Additionally, fractions I', I" and II' were recognized in sera from hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Among these, fraction I', which migrated slightly, but significantly, slower than fraction I was the most specific; it was found in 55% of the hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Fractions I" and II' were also relatively specific, each was observed in about 29% of these patients. Fractions V to IX were observed in few hepatocellular carcinoma cases. Fraction I' is thought to be a hepatoma-related fraction, highly specific for the serum of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Fractions I" and II' were also thought to be hepatoma-related fractions of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. We suggest that fractions I', I" and II' may be useful in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Inhibition of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-activated guanylate cyclase by anticarcinogenic agents

Recent studies have demonstrated that nitroso chemical carcinogens markedly activate guanylate cyclase, which catalyzes the production of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP). We therefore examined the effect of inhibitors of carcinogenic compounds on guanylate cyclase activation by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). An antioxidant group of anticarcinogenic compounds was effective. Disulfiram and phenethyl isothiocyanate exhibited the most potent inhibition. Inhibitor constants (Ki) for disulfiram and phenethyl isothiocyanate were 1.2 x 10(-5) M and 4.9 x 10(-5) M, respectively. Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, phenyl isothiocyanate, butylated hydroxyanisole and ethoxyquin showed moderate inhibitory effects. Sodium selenide decreased the MNNG-activated guanylate cyclase activity to about 30%, and it was inhibitory at the low concentration of 10(-5) M. The present data suggest that one of the mechanisms by which anticarcinogenic compounds exert their effect may in part be related to the inhibition of guanylate cyclase.

Extensive spinal epidural hemorrhage associated with von Willebrand's disease--a case report

We have experienced a case of spontaneous spinal epidural hemorrhage associated with von Willebrand's disease. The patient was repeatedly attacked by bleeding of the urinary tract, intramuscular hemorrhage of the right thigh in spite of the administration of AHF. She had a complication of pneumonia and died on the 94th day of hospitalization. The autopsy revealed extensive spinal epidural hemorrhage from the lower part of the first cervical to the 11th thoracic vertebrae. Because of its rarity in previous literature, this case is presented.

Human blood T lymphocytes that suppress the mixed leukocyte culture reactivity of lymphocytes from HLA-B14 bearing individuals

A nontransfused male patient with recurrent bladder carcinomata has been demonstrated to have blood T lymphocytes that suppress the MLC responsiveness of lymphocytes only from normal individuals positive for HLA-B14. Unexpectedly, this T-suppressor cell differs from three other reported blood T-suppressor cells arising in man in that it apparently does not require HLA-D locus compatibility between the suppressor cell and the lymphocyte being suppressed.

Factors that affect the results of microcytotoxicity testing in man

A great number of variables affect the pattern of test results obtained in studies of cell-mediated cytotoxicity of blood lymphocytes for tumor cells in vitro. The classic microcytotoxicity test measures both cell destruction and effects on cell growth. Microcytotoxicity tests in which isotopically prelabeled target cells are used measure primarily cell destruction. The method of preparation of effector cells from human blood can greatly influence results of such tests. Perhaps the most clear-cut example of this influence is the effect of Tris--NH4Cl treatment of effector cells to lyse contaminating red blood cells. This treatment inactivates the lytic function of certain effector cell types. In addition, a major consideration that must be kept in mind is the difference in patients under study by different groups of investigators.

Changes in polymorphic gene frequencies in strains of chickens selected for resistance to Marek's disease

Resistance to Marek's disease (MD) was selected over five generations in three strains and their four substrains. 2. MD mortality decreased consistently on natural exposure, but in birds artificially inoculated the mortality increased again in later generations. 3. Changes of gene frequencies at five polymorphic loci--blood group A, B and D, plasma esterase and alkaline phosphatase loci--were examined. 4. The frequencies of blood group A6 and B8 alleles showed a consistent trend of increase and the B11 allele gradually decreased in most strains. The Akp allele of alkaline phosphatase increased significantly in two of seven strains. 5. Comparisons of homozygotes and heterozygotes revealed a significant difference only at the A locus.

The psychological development of orphanage-reared infants: interventions with outcomes (Tehran)

This paper describes five successive interventions in the rearing of infants at an orphanage in Tehran, with their outcomes. The outcomes were assessed longitudinally. The first of the successive groups, here called "waves", numbered 15. These Ss constitute the controls. The only intervention consisted of examining the infants every other week during the first year and every fourth week thereafter with the ordinal, sensorimotor scales of Uzgiris and Hunt. The audio-visual intervention intended for the second wave of 10 infants was tape-recorded mother talk and music under the control of the infants and mobiles that the infants could activate. This plan was never adequately implemented because of inadequate supervision. The third wave of 10 infants got extra untutored human care. The fourth wave of 20 infants got the kind of audio-visual intervention originally intended for the second wave plus access to responsive inanimate materials. For the fifth wave, numbering 11, the infant-caretaker ratio was reduced to two or three to one and the caretakers were taught the Badger program supplemented with procedures to foster vocal imitation and semantic mastery of body parts, clothing, toys, and other objects and events regularly encountered. The results show that each successive wave, excepting the second, achieved the top steps of nearly all seven of the ordinal scales at mean ages younger than the preceding wave, and the fifth wave surpassed even home-reared American children from predominantly professional families in achieving the top steps on five of the seven scales. The findings show that infants need not advance along all branches simultaneously and that the kinds of experience encountered determine the branch along which advancement occurs. A number of theoretical implications are examined. Especially important is the idea that a dependable educational psychology for infancy and early childhood calls for much more knowledge than we now have of the kinds of experience that advance development along each of the various branches.

High levels of free fatty acids and their esters in lymphoid cells resistant to cortisone or cyclophosphamide

The lymphoid cells from thymus, spleen or mesenteric lymph node of mice treated with hydrocortisone or cyclophosphamide contained the significantly high levels of free fatty acids, triglycerides and cholesterol esters as compared to the corresponding cells from untreated animals.

Change in levels of cholesterol and free fatty acids of lymphoid cells during tumor growth

Growth of Ehrlich's ascitic carcinoma in mice resulted in increase of free cholesterol and free fatty acids in lymphoid cells from thymus, spleen and cervical lymph node, but decrease of these lipids in the cells from mesenteric lymph node.

The total amino acid content of fossil pecten shells

Amino acid analyses have been made of the insoluble protein, soluble peptide, and free amino acid fractions isolated from a series of fossil pecten shells of ages from the Pleistocene through the Jurassic. The total amino acid content declines progressively with age of the fossil but, in contrast to oyster shells, only a small fraction of the initial protein is present in the Pleistocene and older specimens. Though the thermally less stable acids are depleted in the free acid fraction, this is not true for the insoluble proteins and peptides. Large amounts of free amino acids and peptides persist through the Pliocene, considerable quantities of peptide have been recovered from the Miocene specimens, and even the oldest fossils have retained analyzable amounts of all three fractions.