Bestimmung des Endotoxin-Gehalts in Eiprodukten mit Hilfe eines miniaturisierten chromogenen Limulus-Tests

Zusammenfassung Die Eignung eines chromogenenLimulus-Tests zur Bestimmung des Endotoxin-Gehalts in Eiprodukten wurde gepruft. Dabei zeigte die Analyse verschieden stark bakteriell belasteter Volleimassen eine deutliche Korrelation zwischen Endotoxin-Konzentration und Gesamtkeimzahl (6 x 10⁴ cfu x ng^–1 Endotoxin) Bowie der Anzahl vonEnterobacteriaceen (7x10² cfu x ng^–1 Endotoxin). Vergleichbare Ergebnisse konnten auch mit Eigelb- und Eiweilßproben erzielt werden. Der Endotoxin-Nachweis wurde durch Hitzebehandlung (65 °C, 60 min) nicht beeinflußt. Endotoxinfreies steriles Volleimaterial hatte bis zu einer Konzentration im Testansatz von 10 mg x ml^–1 keinen Einfluß auf das Mcßergebnis. Im vorliegenden Bericht wird eine miniaturisierte Version des Testverfahrens vorgestellt, die im Mikro titerplatten-System durchgeführt werden kann.

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Determination of endotoxin in egg products with a miniaturized chromogenic Limulus test

Summary A chromogenicLimulus amoebocyte lysate assay was applied to monitor endotoxin concentration in egg products. Analysis of differently contaminated whole egg probes revealed a strong correlation of endotoxin concentration to total bacterial count 6 x 10⁴ cfu x ng^–1, where cfu=colony-forming unit) as well as to number ofEnterobacteriaceae (1 ng/7 x 10² cfu). Similar relations were also found for egg white and egg yolk probes. A significant influence of heat pretreatment of egg probes (65° C, 60 min) on endotoxin detection could be excluded. Up to a concentration of 10 mg x µl^–1 endotoxin-free whole egg material did not interfere with the test system. A miniaturized version of the chromogenicLimulus test, which can be carried out in microtiter plates, is described.

     

Decision model for the acute treatment of mania

The authors present a case of foreign body retention, following car accident, localized on superior medial corner of the right orbit. The traumatic impact, involving endo-orbital structures, owing to the peculiar direction of the foreign body, caused a fracture in the anterior cranial base and laceration of the dura madre. As the anatomical structures involved did not concern only the MaxilloFacial district, the choice of the protocol to be applied to the patient was taken in accordance with the neurosurgical équipe. An intra cranial surgical approach has allowed to remove, by retrograding the foreign body on its trajectory path, in order not to injure further the already damaged structures involved. Then the tissues have been reconstructed; in particular, the anterior cranial base was restored through the use of pericranial strip. This technique is the elective surgical treatment in lesions of such small entity, as it is able to grant a solid support to the overhanging cerebral parenchyma. Besides, this reconstruction technique provides a complete protecting isolation of the ocular globe from compressive and pulsative phenomena, due to the neurocranial adjacent structures. With this technique, after a 8 month's follow-up. The patient has obtained optimum functional and aesthetic results.     

Genomic organization and allelic polymorphism of the human killer cell inhibitory receptor gene KIR103

Killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIR) belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily of molecules and are expressed on natural killer (NK) cells. The KIRs of the p58/p50 family have two immunoglobulin domains and are ligands for HLA-Cw antigens, whereas the p70/p70 delta family has three immunoglobulin domains and comprises ligands for HLA-B antigens and possibly some HLA-A antigens. Members of a third KIR family, KIR103, have two immunoglobulin domains but have highest nucleotide sequence homology to the p70 family. The ligands for KIR103 on target cells are currently unknown. We here report the complete genomic organization of KIR103. It spans about 12 kb of DNA and consists of eight exons of which exon 1 and exon 2 encode the leader sequence. Exon 3 encodes the first immunoglobulin domain (gamma 1), and exon 4 encodes the main part of the second immunoglobulin domain (gamma 3), which also contains sequences contributed by exon 5 and exon 6. Exon 6 encodes the transmembrane domain, whereas exons 7 and 8 encode most of the cytoplasmic domain. KIR103 is polymorphic, and two alleles, 103AS and 103LP, are defined in this study. Additional full-length cDNA clones for KIR103 have been isolated and are shown to be formed by alternative mRNA splicing with exon skipping. Some of these truncated KIR103 cDNA could encode shorter transmembrane molecules, whereas others lack the transmembrane domain and are candidate genes for secreted KIR products. KIR103 is localized to the KIR genetic region on chromosome 19q13.4.     

Mechanical and technological properties of vacuum plasma sprayed and hot isostatically pressed Composite materials

Ti/NiCr20TiAl and NiCoCrALY/IN617 composite materials have been produced by vacuum plasma spraying, Arc-PVD and hot isostatic pressing. Regarding their mechanical and technological properties they are dependent on the heat treatment during the production process. Therefore optimized strength properties can be obtained by using thermal age hardening base materials.     

Preemptive CD8 T-cell immunotherapy of acute cytomegalovirus infection prevents lethal disease, limits the burden of latent viral genomes, and reduces the risk of virus recurrence

In the immunocompetent host, primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is resolved by the immune response without causing overt disease. The viral genome, however, is not cleared but is maintained in a latent state that entails a risk of virus recurrence and consequent organ disease. By using murine CMV as a model, we have shown previously that multiple organs harbor latent CMV and that reactivation occurs with an incidence that is determined by the viral DNA load in the respective organ (M. J. Reddehase, M. Balthesen, M. Rapp, S. Jonjic, I. Pavic, and U. H. Koszinowski. J. Exp. Med. 179:185-193, 1994). This predicts that a therapeutic intervention capable of limiting the load of latent viral genome should also reduce the risk of virus recurrence. Here we demonstrate the benefits and the limits of a preemptive CD8 T-cell immunotherapy of CMV infection in the immunocompromised bone marrow transplantation recipient. Antiviral CD8 T cells prevented CMV disease and accelerated the resolution of productive infection. The therapy also resulted in a lower load of latent CMV DNA in organs and consequently reduced the incidence of recurrence. The data thus provide a further supporting argument for clinical trials of preemptive cytoimmunotherapy of human CMV disease with CD8 T cells. However, CD8 T cells failed to clear the viral DNA. The therapy-susceptible portion of the DNA load differed between organs and was highest in the lungs. The existence of an invariant, therapy-resistant load suggests a role for immune system evasion mechanisms in the establishment of CMV latency.     

A 2-D finite element mesh generator for thermal analysis ofunderground power cables

A fully automatic program generating two-dimensional finite-element (FE) grids has been developed to deal with underground-cable geometries. The user needs only to specify the location of the various objects in terms of circles and straight-sided polygons. A few global parameters control the whole process. A node and element renumbering facility allow near-optimal bandwidth or frontal solution in the finite-element solver     

Grundlegende Betrachtungen zur Eigenspannungsanalyse an Keramik-Metall-Verbunden mittels FEM

Fundamental Investigations of Residual Stresses in Metal-Ceramic-Joints by FEM The reduction of damages in metal-ceramic-joints caused by residual stresses is of essential significance. Therefore, a model was created to simulate the behaviour of metal-ceramic-joints under thermal stress. In this paper, results of fundamental investigations are presented.