IgE in respiratory tract allergies

The IgE concentration was determined in the sera and nasal secretions of 166 patients with nasal allergy, 40 patients with bronchial asthma, and 50 control subjects, using Phadebas IgE kits. The IgE level was significantly elevated in both the sera and nasal secretions of allergic patients. The sera and nasal secretions of 142 patients, who were positive in HD or mites skin test, were subjected to a radioallergosorbent test (RAST) for estimating the specific IgE antibody activity to mites. The gradings of the specific antibody activity were significantly correlated with the strengths of the HD skin tests. The results of this study proved the usefulness of the determination of IgE and specific IgE antibodies in the diagnosis and study of the pathogenesis of respiratory tract allergies. The IgE in nasal secretions was much more closely related to pathogenesis of respiratory allergies than was IgE in sera. However, unless more concentrated nasal secretions are assayed, the diagnostic value is limited.

Histiocytic medullary reticulosis with involvement of the nose

A case of histiocytic medullary reticulosis in which nasal involvement was predominant is reported. The patient was a 33-year-old woman with a 14-month history of unilateral nasal stuffiness. The diagnosis was established by antemortem examination of films of bone marrow aspirates and by clinical features including fever, wasting, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, and leukopenia. The histologic examination of autopsy specimens disclosed proliferation of histiocytes, which ingested nuclear debris and closed proliferation of histiocytes, which ingested nuclear debris and erythrocytes, in the necrotic lesion of the nose, sternal bone marrow, liver, spleen, thymus, uterus, ovali, and ileum. On reviewing literature on this subject, such a case of histiocytic medullary reticulosis which predominantly involves the nose is very rare.

Fine structures of the normal mucosa in developing rat middle ear

Forty-two fetal and 90 developing young rats were studied electron microscopically to obtain a normal cellular distribution pattern of middle ear mucosa. The results showed that while ciliated columnar or cuboidal cells interspersed with secretory cells were predominantly distributed around the tympanic orifice and transitional zone, cuboidal or squamous nonciliated cells without secretory granules were numerous in the remaining part of the bulla. Development of ciliated cells started at the 17th or 18 th fetal day,paralleling that of secretory cells. The number of ciliated and secretory cells increased rapidly after birth. Glands were not found in the osseous tube, tympanic orifice, or other portions of the middle ear cavity in fetal, newborn, or suckling rats, while they are abundant in the cartilaginous portion of the tube. The findings of this study indicate that both secretory and ciliated cells are normal components of middle ear mucosa although these cells are restricted to the tympanic orifice and transitional zone, and that the mucociliary defense system starts to develop during the fetal stage.

Otitis media with effusion: specific antibody activities against exotoxins in middle ear effusions

Findings of recent immunologic studies on otitis media with effusion indicate that antibodies in middle ear effusions can either originate from serum and/or from local production in the middle ear cavity and Eustachian tube. Determination of specific antibody activity of different immunoglobulin classes in effusions and sera against certain bacterial antigens may aid in a better understanding of the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion. A radioimmunosorbent assay was employed in the present study to determine specific antibody activity against streptolysin or staphylolysin. Although these antibody activities were mainly limited to IgG and IgA class antibodies in effusion as well as in serum, it was also found that SIgA of various types of the effusion possesses the antibody activity against these exotoxins. Findings of this study suggest that a local immunity functions in the middle ear cavity of patients with otitis media with effusions and that bacterial infection may contribute to the development of middle ear effusion in certain cases.

Radioimmunoassay of IgE in middle ear effusions

Fifty-six sample pairs of middle ear effusions and sera obtained from patients with otitis media with effusion were investigated for The IgE antibody activity against mites, using radioallergosorbent test (RAST) which was recently developed as an in vitro allergy test. The IgE concentrations were also determined by radioimmunosorbent test (RIST). Results showed that the IgE antibody activity against this allergen was found in 5 middle ear effusions and 3 sera. Four of 5 patients with the positive RAST test had nasal allergy or signs suggesting allergy. Theree were two middle ear effusions which seemed to be an allergic fluid. However, findings in the present study do not suggest that middle ear effusions result from the direct allergic reaction induced by mites in the mucous membrane lining the middle ear cavity.

Factors influencing growth of rumen, liver, and other organs in kids weaned from milk replacers to solid foods

From pooled data of many feeding trials with kids fed various types of solid foods from 37 days of age and slaughtered thereafter, relationships between such independent variables as age, cumulative intake of solid food, weight gain, and/or final body weight and such dependent variables as weights and such dependent variables as weights of stomach-compartments, heart, liver, kidneys, and spleen were analyzed. Growth of forestomachs, and especially rumen mucosa, relative to body weight was stimulated only in feeding periods of solid foods. Gain, intake of solid food, and final body weight were the best predictors for growth of forestomach-compartments, liver, and heart, respectively. Correlations were large between ruminoreticulum weight and liver weight and among weights of forestomach-compartments. Second degree polynomials were fitted to predict the curvilinear relationships between solid-food intake and either ruminoreticulum weight or rumen mucosal weight, and a linear equation was fitted to predict the relationship between solid-food intake and liver weight. Feeding of roughage increased rumen muscular and omasal weights. Growth of the rumen under stimulation of solid-food intake may be regulated by the same biological factors contributing to increased growth rate of the whole animal. In this situation, growth of the rumen may be correlated closely with growth of the liver.

Scanning electron microscopy of the lungs of vitamin E-deficient rats exposed to a low concentration of ozone

The acute effects of a low concentration of ozone on the surface morphologic features of the conducting airways and alveoli were studied by scannging electron microscopy. Rats were exposed to approximately 0.3 ppm of ozone for 3 hours daily for as many as 16 consecutive days. Animals were killed at intervals of time, and their lungs were processed. Throughout the airways, cilia were seen to be swollen, showing hemispheric extrusions and considerable surface roughness. Groups of severely injured cilia had a tendency to adhere to each other. Small, round bodies were frequently noted, mainly in the large airways and the proximal bronchioles, in some areas thickly covering the airway epithelial surface. In addition, the luminal surfaces of the epithelium of the regions were often covered with a pseudomembrane. The surfaces of protruding nonciliated cells (Clara cells) showed many small swellings and discrete, round bodies. These changes were most marked in the terminal airways. The surfaces of alveolar ducts and alveolar walls showed scattered areas of cytoplasmic swelling and attachment of round bodies throughout the parenchyma. The findings described were more prominent in vitamin E-deficient rats than in rats fed a diet supplemented with vitamin E, suggesting an antioxidant effect of the vitamin.

Familial unusual encephalopathy of Binswanger's type without hypertension

Clinical and pathological studies have been conducted on two brothers with unusual encephalopathy of Binswanger's type. The disease started in the third decade with steady progressive course leading to death in eight or nine years. The clinical picture was summarized as a combination of organic dementia, extrapyramidal disorders associated with pseudobulbar symptoms and marked pyramidal tract signs. The blood pressure remained always normal during the course. Pathologically, there were diffuse and focal demyelination with sparing of U-fibers, multiple small foci of perivascular softening in the cerebral white matter and in the basal ganglia and severe arteriosclerotic changes of memingeal small arteries and long arteries with 100 to 400 micron caliber in the cerebral white matter. Vessel changes consisted of fibrous intimal proliferation, severe hyalinosis and splitting of intima and/or internal elastic membrane. The histopathological process belonged to the category of subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy of Binswanger's type. There has been some discussion as to differential diagnosis among various forms of vasculitis such as cerebral endangiitis obliterans, periarteritis nodosa, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatic vascular disease and giant cell arteritis.

The location of ribosomal cistrons (rDNA) in chromosomes of the rat

In situ hybridization of 3H-labelled ribosomal RNA to the chromosomes of rat bone marrow cells revealed that clusters of ribosomal cistrons (rDNA) are located in the secondary constrictions of chromosomes No. 3 and 12 and near the centromere of chromosome No. 11, both associated with the late DNA-replicating regions. They were not found in Nos. 1, 2, 13, 19, 20, and the Y chromosome.

Immunochemistry of otitis media with effusion

For investigation of the nature and origin of middle ear effusions, immunochemical studies were performed on more than 400 patients diagnosed as having otitis media with effusion. Although results of cellulose acetate and disc electrophoretic analyses and quantitation of IgG, IgA, and IgM suggested that proteins found in the effusions were derived for the most part from the serum, quantitative analysis of secretory IgA revealed the existence of appreciable amounts of secretory IgA in both serous and mucoid effusions. The antigenicity and subunit structure of the secretory IgA isolated from middle ear effusions were identical or very similar to those of secretory IgA obtained from other external secretions. Radioactive single radial diffusion analysis of IgE showed that the mean concentrations of IgE in effusions and sera were within normal ranges. Findings of this study suggest that the middle ear maintains the local immunologic defense system, that the middle ear effusion is at least partially an external secretion, and that IgE in middle ear effusions obtained from old patients, rather than being a local product, may be derived from the serum.

[Intracranial pressure--volumetric pressure and driving pressure]

In order to understand the pathogenesis of increased intracranial pressure, the concept of the driving pressure (DP) from the intracranial vascular system was proposed. The DP consists of the transmission of atrial pressure (ADP) and venous pressure (vp). It is well known that when the animals died, the intracranial pressure decreased to the atmospheric pressure. This means that the DP is important in maintaining the static pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid. The theoretical equation of the intracranial pressure was expressed as follows.ICP=ADP+VP (1) ADP is expressed as (2). ADP=eta (BP-VP) (2) The pressure transmission rat (eta) was calculated as the ratio of the CSF pressure to the systemic arterial blood pressure in the experimental and clinical cases. In the normal CSF pressure, eta was very small (2.0 X 10(-2)), while in the severe intracranial hypertension, eta approached to 1. The concept of the driving pressure was useful to analyze the static intracranial pressure and the pulse pressure.

Characterization of a chemotactic factor (leucoegresin) for polymorphonuclear leucocytes from thermal skin site

A chemotactic factor for PMN leucocytes was extracted in the pseudoglobulin fraction of burned skin lesions in rabbits and then highly purified by chromatography using Sephadex G-50, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and CM-Sephex C-50 in this order. Chemotactic activity was estimated by a modification of Boyden's method during the process of purification. This factor was a protein free of nucleic acid and its molecular weight was approximately 140000 when measured by gel filtration. Its activity was relatively heat-stable. Agar immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion using goat antiserum against rabbit serum and against rabbit IgG revealed that this factor shared at least some antigenic determinants with rabbit IgG. Intradermal injection of this factor induced pronounced PMN leucocyte emigration at the site of venules, but did not increase vascular permeability. These observations reasonably confirmed that this factor was indistinguishable from leucoegresin isolated from active Arthus site in rabbits; and it was called burn leucoegresin. The amount of burn leucoegresin, obtained from one burned site showing maximal PMN leucocyte emigration, was smaller than that of Arthus leucoegresin from one active Arthus site showing maximal PMN leucocyte emigration, in accordance with less pronounced PMN leucocyte emigration in burn site.

Molecular-weight fractionation of polystyrene by zone-melting chromatography

Polystyrene can be fractionated by zone-melting chromatography on a solid column of durene. The polymer solute moves in the same direction as the heated zone. The higher the molecular weight of the polymer the slower it moves. Experiments with model mixtures of monodisperse polystyrenes of average molecular weight 6 x 10(2)-2 x 10(5) indicate that a polymer fraction can be separated in 90% purity from fractions with molecular weights higher or lower by one order of magnitude. Polystyrene samples of various molecular weight distributions, after processing on durene columns, gave several fractions having significantly narrower dispersions than that of the starting polymer, in terms of gel-permeation chromatography.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) in middle ear effusions

This study was undertaken to further clarify the relation of atopic allergy to otitis media with effusion. Ninety-six specimens of middle ear effusions and corresponding sera were collected from 92 patients, and each sample was quantitatively measured by a radioactive single radial diffusion (RSRD) technique for immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentration. Specimens consisted of 70 serous effusions (38 acute and 32 chronic) and 26 mucoid effusions (10 acute and 16 chronic). The mean concentration of IgE in the serous effusions was 143.1 ± 28.7 ng/ml, and in the corresponding sera 227.5 ± 40.7 ng/ml. The mean concentration of IgE in the mucoid effusions was 221.7 ± 48.9 ng/ml and in the corresponding sera 398.0 ± 81.5 ng/ml. The difference between these values was not statistically significant. In both mucoid and serous types the mean IgE concentration was lower in the effusions than in the sera from the same patients, but this difference was not statistically significant. The mean value of the IgE concentration in mucoid effusions was higher than in the serous effusions, but this difference was not significant. Three of 70 serous effusions (4.3%) and 4 of 26 mucoid effusions (15.4%) had an IgE concentration exceeding 500 ng/ml. In only 2 of the 96 cases (2.1%) did the IgE concentration in effusion exceed both the 500 ng/ml level and the IgE concentration in the corresponding serum. Results of this study suggest that IgE in middle ear effusions, rather than being a local product, may be derived from the serum, and also that the fluid is not an atopic allergic effusion.

Quantitative determination of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in middle ear effusions

For the purpose of investigating the nature of middle ear effusion, quantitative analysis of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) by radioactive single radial diffusion (RSRD) technique was performed on specimens of middle ear effusion and serum from the corresponding patient. Specimens consisted of 61 serous effusions (32 acute and 29 chronic type) and 29 mucoid effusions (9 acute and 20 chronic). The mean value of SIgA concentration in the serous effusions was 212.7 ± 13.5 μg/ml and that in sera from these patients was 27.0 ± 3.0 μg/ml. In the mucoid type the mean value of SIgA in effusions was 357.7 ± 13.2 μg/ml and that in sera was 24.3 ± 2.8 μg/ml. The difference in the mean value of SIgA concentration between the serous and mucoid types of effusions was statistically significant. The mean value of SIgA concentration in serous effusions was eight times that in sera from these patients and in mucoid effusions the SIgA value was approximately 14 times that in sera. The calculated percentage of SIgA in the total IgA of middle ear effusions was 11–12% in both the serous and mucoid categories. The percentage in sera was about 1%. Results of this study indicate that all middle ear effusions contain appreciable amounts of the secretory element, although the transudate from serum is the major component of effusion, and support an hypothesis that while serous middle ear effusions are a mixture of normal ear secretions bathing the membrane surface and transudates from serum, mucoid effusions are the result of enhanced epithelial secretory activity and transudates.

Secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in middle ear effusions. A further report

Immunochemical and immunofluorescent studies of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in otitis media with effusion were carried out to investigate the local immunologic defense system and secretory activity in the middle ear. SIgA was isolated from pooled middle ear effusions by an immunoadsorbents technique and its antigenicity and subunit structure compared with SIgA derived from other external secretions, such as saliva, nasal discharge, and colostrum. The antigenicity and subunit structure of the isolated SIgA from middle ear effusions were identical or very similar to those of SIgA obtained from other external secretions. Radioimmunodiffusion analysis revealed that SIgA was present in 43 of 47 (91.5%) cases of serous middle ear effusion, whereas the sera from only 3 of 47 (6.4%) of these patients was found to have SIgA. Immunoelectrophoresis, using anti-SIgA antiserum, and radioimmunoelectrophoresis detected free SC (secretory component) in 1 of 47 (2%) serous and 6 of 30 (20%) mucoid effusions. Apices of epithelial cells and glandular acinar cells of the middle ear mucosa obtained from patients with otitis media with effusion were stained specifically with anti-SC antibodies. Findings of the study would suggest: 1) that the middle ear maintains the local immunologic defense system, as do respiratory tracts and salivary glands, and 2) that while serous middle ear effusions are a mixture of normal middle ear secretions bathing the membrane surface and transudates from serum, mucoid effusions are the result of enhanced epithelial secretory activity and transudates.