Parent-child life events: relation to treatment in asthma

Children and adolescents with asthma were divided into groups of responders (N = 22) and nonresponders (N = 22) on the basis of their response to medical management. The mothers and children from both groups were given scales to measure life events and perceptions of behavior style. The effects of life event stresses and parent-child relations on the response to medical treatment were evaluated for each patient. Comparisons were made on the basis of response-nonresponse, sex, and age. Several patterns of relationship to treatment outcome were identified. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of coping skills, psychological defenses, and the availability of social support systems. A conceptual scheme for treatment approaches is presented.

Pertussis vaccine inhibits immune insulitis induced with streptozotocin

Normally, the injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a lower dose (60 mg/kg body weight) to young (45 days old) CD-1 male mice produces a sustained hyperglycemia with the concomitant development of hypoinsulinemia and immune insulitis in the pancreas, both of which lead to insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD). In an effort to abort the development of IDD, pertussis vaccine (PV) was administered either intraperitoneally (n = 12) or intravenously (n = 12) 3 days prior to STZ injection. In contrast to the control group (n = 12) which received only STZ resulting in the subsequent development of IDD after 16 weeks, none of the vaccinated group developed IDD. The complete protective effect was evidenced by normal insulin values, normoglycemia, the lack of the development of nucleic acid antibody and the absence of insulitis in the vaccinated animals. Under these experimental conditions, PV appeared to offer satisfactory protection of the beta cells of islets in pancreas against the inflammatory effect of STZ.

Effect of stressful stimulation on the incidence of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice

In three experiments, groups of 8-18, 45-day-old male CD-1 mice were injected with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) and were followed for 12-31 weeks. Experimental groups were given periodic. light-shock stimulation beginning at various times after streptozotocin injection. Blood samples were taken biweekly from all mice. Blood glucose levels were attenuated over a 22 week period in mice that were stimulated during the first 72 hours after STZ injection. Incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes (blood glucose levels over 150 mg%) was also significantly reduced in stimulated mice. Progressively increasing correlations between sampling order and blood glucose levels, which were significant over the last 12 weeks of one experiment, indicated that blood glucose levels of caged, diabetic mice responded markedly to laboratory procedures.

Prevalence of antibodies to nucleic acids in insulin-dependent diabetics and their relatives

We have studied nucleic acid antibodies in 23 insulindependent diabetics, 27 of their first degree relatives, and 23 normal, unrelated controls. We have found a significantly increased prevalence of antibody to ss-DNA, ds-RNA (reovirus), and synthetic RNA (Poly A · Poly U, Poly I · Poly C) in the unaffected relatives as well as in the diabetics when compared with normal controls. There was no relationship in HLA.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection in infant delivered by cesarean section

Neonatal Chlamydia trachomatis infection is thought to be acquired as a result of contact with infected cervical secretions during vaginal delivery. An infant, delivered by cesarean section, who was infected with C trachomatis has been described. At 31 days of age he had conjunctivitis and respiratory distress. Nasopharyngeal aspirate grew C trachomatis and serum IgM antibody titer was 1:32 for serotype J. The patient's mother had serum IgG antibody against C trachomatis serotype J. Her cervical culture was negative for Chlamydia; however, cultures were not taken until two months after delivery and she had received antibiotics for postpartum fever and abdominal pain. The literature has been reviewed and possible modes of transmission have been discussed.

[Trichomonas hominis: isolation and axenic cultivation (author's transl)]

Recently we have isolated Trichomonas hominis from diarrheic stools of a patient and established it in an axenic culture medium. The procedures are as follows: Diarrheic stool containing numerous trophozoites was first inoculated into the TYM (Trypticase Yeast extract Maltose) medium of Diamond (1975) to establish a polyxenic culture. Antibiotics, containing penicillin (1000 U/ml), streptomycin (1000 micrograms/ml), and cephalosporin (20 micrograms/ml) were added to prevent overgrowth of bacteria and fungi. After several passages, a specially-designed culture-tube was employed to separate T. hominis from the contaminants. The isolated T. hominis was then introduced into the modified TYI-S-33 (Trypticase Yeast extract Iron-Serum-33) medium of Diamond (1978). The organism established itself readily to this axenic culture medium. Sterility tests employing fluid thioglycollate, nutrient broth, and blood agar plate gave negative results indicating the absence of contaminants. The axenic culture of T. hominis provides us with a source of pure flagellates for biological, biochemical, and immunological studies.

Immune insulitis and antibodies to nucleic acids induced with streptozotocin in mice

Streptozotocin (STZ), a known beta cell toxin, given in a single injection of either a high (100 mg/kg body weight) or a low dose (60 mg/kg body weight) to young (45 days old) CD-I mice induced permanent hyperglycaemia which led to insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD). Further study, however, revealed that the course of the disease was strikingly different between the groups. The average latent period of the high-dose group (n = 20) before the development of hyperglycaemia was only 3 days while that of the low-dose group was 7 weeks (n = 30). Islets of pancreas in the high-dose group showed extensive acute necrosis of the islets with only two out of 20 showing limited mononuclear cell infiltration. In contrast, 20 out of 30 mice in the low-dose group had 45% of their islets heavily infiltrated with mononuclear cells (P less than 0.001). In addition, the deposition of IgG was found in 40% of the islets in 23 out of 30 mice in the low-dose group, in contrast to only two out of 20 in the high-dose group (P less than 0.005). The incidence of antibody to nucleic acids, polyadenylic-polyuridylic acid, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, single-stranded DNA and anti-nuclear antibody was significantly higher in the low-dose group as compared to the high-dose group or controls (P less than 0.01). Since the findings in the low-dose group are similar to pathological and serological changes reported in man with recent-onset IDD, this model should be of value in the study of the pathogenesis of this disease.

An in vitro assay for uni-directional migration inhibition employing 51Cr-labelled macrophages

An improved in vitro technique to assay for migration inhibitory factor is presented. The method employs chromium-51-radiolabelled guinea-pig macrophages and offers significant advantages including (1) elimination of observer to observer variation and tedious measurements resulting in an objective and technically simple assay, (2) the requirement for small numbers of immune lymphocytes, (3) good sensitivity and reproducibility between successive assays performed on different days, and (4) a means of obtaining relative estimates of the 'strength' (concentration) of the factor so that comparisons with healthy individuals can be made.

Antibodies to nucleic acids in juvenile-onset diabetes

Antibodies to single stranded (SS-) and double stranded (DS-) DNA and RNA were determined by a passive microhemagglutination assay in sera from 80 children with juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus (JDM) and 129 children with asthma. The latter group was chosen for comparison with the JDM group because of their increased susceptibility to viral infection and the nonautoimmune nature of the disease. We found that JDM patients had increased titers of antibodies to SS-DNA (61.3%), synthetic polyadenylicpolyuridylic acid (Poly A-U) (78.8%), synthetic polyinosinicpolycytidylic acid (Poly I-C) (62.5%), and DS-RNA of statolon virus (51.3%) and reovirus (27.3%), respectively, in contrast to asthmatics (15.5, 34.9, 3.9, 20.2, and 2.3%, respectively) or to healthy controls. The difference of the incidence of antibodies among the groups is statistically significant (P less than 0.001). Presence of SS-DNA antibody found in two thirds of cases of JDM further support the increased prevalence of autoimmune phenomenon in that disease. Furthermore, the increased prevalence of DS-RNA antibodies in patients with JDM, found especially in cases of recent onset, is suggestive of an active immune response against the underlying viral replications that may have led to beta cell injury in islets of pancreas.

Assessment of cellular and humoral immunity of myasthenics

A close association of autoimmune diseases or autoimmune phenomena in myasthenia gravis is well known. A comprehensive immunological study of 22 patients with myasthenia gravis showed that changes in the immune system mainly involve the thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells). Anti-thymus antibody was present in 90% of the patients, and it paralleled the frequency of thymic abnormality in myasthenia gravis. It is postulated that in myasthenia gravis the altered T cell functions caused by anti-thymus antibody result in the formation of an array of autoantibodies including the factor which blocks the neuromuscular transmission.

Defective phagocyte adherence in acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis: clinical and laboratory observations

The adherence of circulating phagocytes to glass was studied in 15 children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis and in 27 healthy adults, 21 healthy children, and 14 children with normocomplementemic renal disease. The phagocytic adherence to glass in the patients with hypocomplementemic PSGN differed significantly from that of the control groups (p=less than 0.001). There was a positive correlation of phagocyte adherence with plasma C3 but not with plasma C4, C3, properdin factor B, severity of illness, or drugs administered. In addition, the adherence defect was present in two normocomplementemic PSGN patients. The defect gradually resolved in all patients with clinical improvement: it was useful as an index of recovery. The in vitro addition of functional C3 to whole blood produced the adherence defect in normal subjects and failed to correct the defect in patients with PSGN. It was postulated that a fragment of activated complement may have blocked a membrane receptor on these phagocytes and interfered with their adherence to glass.

Insulin-dependent diabetes: a disease of autoaggression

Lymphocytes from patients with insulin-dependent diabetes demonstrated significant cytoadherence and cytotoxicity against human insulinoma cells in vitro as compared to lymphocytes from normals. Complement was not involved in insulinoma cell destruction. The findings suggest that insulin-dependent diabetes may be a disease of autoaggression.

Synthesis of secretory component by human colon cancer cells

Colon carcinoma, established in long-term tissue culture, has been shown to synthesize secretory component (SC). These molecules can be demonstrated both on the cell surface and in the cytoplasm by immunofluorescence. Regeneration of SC was demonstrable after trypsinization of the cells. In culture, two lines of carcinoma epithelium were shown to incorporate (14C) leucine into newly synthesized SC. These cell lines should provide useful preparations for studying the details of immunoglobulin-SC interactions.

Morula forms of E rosettes: distribution, specific inhibition, and enhancement

Rosetts-forming cells (RFC) with more than 10 sheep red blood cells (SRBC's) per cell defined as morula-forming cells (MFC) were studied in human lymphoid organs and in the peripheral blood (PBL). MFC are most common in the thymus (more than 50%) and the frequency is much less in peripheral lymphoid tissues and in the blood (29.8% in those less than 5 years old; 14.9% in adults). There is very slight decrease in total RFC in PBL over age 5, but the changes in MFC are quite striking. Treatment with antihuman thymus antiserum (ATS) and with anti-human lymphoblastic antiserum (ATL) resulted in significant inhibition of total rosette and morula rosette formation. No inhibition was seen using normal brain antiserum, anti-IgM antiserum, or anti-L chain antiserum. In two patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and in some cases of thymic deficiency the ratio of MFC to total RFC was unusually high. After culture with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and conversion to blast forms or after surface peturbation by papain or freeze-thaw treatment, MFC numbers were increased.

Antibody to cultured human insulinoma cells in insulin-dependent diabetes

Circulating antibodies to live tissue-cultured human-insulinoma cells were identified in 34 out of 39 insulin-dependent diabetic patients by an indirect immunofluorescent technique. The antibodies were unrelated to insulin therapy since 8 of 9 sera obtained before insulin-replacement treatment were antibody positive and the test results were not influenced by prior addition of porcine insulin to sera. The antibodies were of the IgM and IgG classes. The findings suggest that autoimmune mechanisms are important in the pathogenesis of most cases of insulin-requiring diabetes.

Beta 2-microglobulin: association with lymphocyte receptors

beta(2)-Microglobulin (beta(2)m) is a low-molecular-weight protein constituent of lymphocyte membranes. Amino acid sequence analysis has revealed a high degree of homology between the beta(2)m and certain regions of immunoglobulin molecules, suggesting a possible recognition function for the beta(2)m, in analogy with the immunoglobulins. The data presented demonstrate that highly specific antiserum against beta(2)m blocks lymphocyte reactivity against allogeneic cells in mixed leukcocyte cultures and against phytohemagglutinin, both of which processes presumably function via a cell surface receptor on thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes. There is very little inhibition of T lymphocyte rosette formation with sheep red blood cells. The findings suggest a possible relation between the beta(2)m and recognition units on the T lymphocyte surface.

Antibody-associated lymphotoxin in acute infection

Five pediatric patients who were known to be previously healthy acutely developed lymphopenia during various viral or mycoplasma infections. In one case, fatal generalized varicella occurred and in another, severe toxic epidermal necrolysis ensued. To further investigate this phenomenon, a study was done to determine the incidence of and elucidate the pathogenesis of lymphopenia occurring during the acute phase of viral or mycoplasma infections. Acute and convalescent sera from patients with viral or mycoplasma infection and children immunized with live measles virus were screened for lymphocytotoxic activity against normal lymphocytes by the microcytotoxicity method of Terasaki and McClelland (1). Sera with lymphocytotoxic activity were found in 15 of 48 cases of viral infections, 4 of 22 mycoplasma infections, and 1 of 11 measles virus immunized persons. All those who had sera which were cytotoxic to lymphocytes in vitro had lymphopenia. The lymphocytotoxic activity resided in 19S fractions in 8 of 11 positive sera while the remaining 3 had activity both in 19S and 7S fractions and could be completely removed by absorption with antilight chain antiserum. The cytotoxic activities were all complement-dependent and were greater at 37 degrees C than at 4 degrees C. The significance of acute acquired immunologic deficiency due to the development of antibody-associated lymphotoxin (AbAL) during acute infections is discussed and five cases having more severe clinical manifestations are presented (Appendix).

Trisomy 18 syndrome in Chinese infants. Clinical findings and incidence

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Trisomy 13 syndrome in Chinese infants. Clinical findings and incidence

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