The effects of treatment with PIXY321 (GM-CSF/IL-3 fusion protein) on human polymorphonuclear leukocyte function

During a phase I trial of the genetically engineered hematopoietic growth factor PIXY321 (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor/interleukin-3 [IL-3] fusion protein), we examined the effects of PIXY321 treatment on human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) locomotive, respiratory burst, and phagocytic responses. PIXY321 treatment was associated with transient suppression of both unstimulated locomotion and chemotaxis responses to multiple stimuli, as well as significant transient enhancement of formyl peptide-stimulated H2O2 production. No effects on opsonic phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus were observed. In vitro exposure of control PMN to PIXY321 resulted in suppression of unstimulated locomotion/chemotaxis and enhancement of formyl peptide-stimulated H2O2 production but had no effects on phagocytosis. When patient cells were exposed in vitro to PIXY321 during treatment, suppression of chemotaxis and enhancement of H2O2 production were observed before PIXY321 treatment, but these effects diminished during treatment. The in vivo and in vitro exposure effects of PIXY321 treatment on PMN function are similar to those of the parent molecule, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).     

Attitudes of women of childbearing age towards prenatal diagnosis in southeastern France

The objective of this study was to explore women's attitudes towards prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21 and to examine some of the factors possibly responsible for these attitudes before implementing in real practice serological screening of pregnant women at risk for trisomy 21. We carried out a telephone survey on a representative sample of women who had recently had a normal livebirth delivery in the Marseille district in 1990. The participation rate was 80 per cent and the average age of the mothers was 28.9 years. Among the 514 women interviewed, 78 per cent stated that they would ask for an amniocentesis for a 1 per cent risk of trisomy 21 at their next pregnancy. When adjusting for confounding factors, the decision to have or not to have an amniocentesis was found to depend not only on the women's attitude towards induced abortion, but also on their understanding of the risk involved and on the social context (knowing a handicapped child, discussion with the father). It also depended on the women's age and on what they knew about amniocentesis from the medical point of view. The risk of miscarriage can influence a woman's choice but this objection was not found to affect the women's decisions significantly in our survey. The data showed the existence of a high potential demand for fetal karyotyping.     

Voltage-time characteristics for steep-front impulse voltages ofparticle-contaminated spacers in SF6 gas-insulated switchgear

The voltage-time characteristics of spacer surfaces for steep-front impulse waves are investigated under a particle-contaminated condition in SF₆ gas. The characteristics are measured as a function of particle length, particle position, and space shapes. Flashover voltages monotonically increase in the submicrosecond region as time to flashover is shorter, and are a minimum in the 1 μs region. Applicability of the equal voltage-time area criterion for estimating the voltage-time characteristics is discussed and the estimation is clarified. Moreover, it is demonstrated that an optimized spacer with ribs greatly improves flashover voltages in the submicrosecond region as well as in the 1 μs and power frequency region     

Screening demand-side management programs with a value-based test

A value-based test is presented for economic screening of electric utility demand-side management (DSM) programs. The widely used least cost test is valid if the programs do not alter the amount or value of energy services provided to customers. But, in general, DSM programs have such effects and, as a result, the value consumers receive is changed. A more general economic efficiency test, the most value test, provides a practical method for considering the effects of DSM on customer value. The version presented allows for multiple load periods and can account for rate impacts on several customer classes. Four typical DSM programs are evaluated as illustrations     

Successful conservative therapy of pincer nail syndrome

3 cases of seronegative synovitis syndrome were reported. Two elderly women and one man presented with symmetrical polysynovitis of acute onset involving most of their appendicular joints and flexor digitorum tendons associated with pitting edema of the dorsum of both hands and both feet. Rheumatoid factor was absent from serum samples in all and no radiologically evident erosions developed. All the three patients had a benign course and the disease resolved completely within 2-18 months after the onset. None had deformities, erosions and/or relapse after being followed for 22-34 months. Literatures on this syndrome were reviewed.     

Refinements in validity generalization methods: Implications for the situational specificity hypothesis.

Using a large database, this study examined 3 refinements of validity generalization procedures: (1) a more accurate procedure for correcting the residual standard deviation (SD) for range restriction to estimate SDp, (2) use of r? instead of study-observed rs in the formula for sampling error variance, and (3) removal of non-Pearson rs. The 1st procedure does not affect the amount of variance accounted for by artifacts. The addition of the 2nd and 3rd procedures increased the mean percentage of validity variance accounted for by artifacts from 70 to 82%, a 17% increase. The cumulative addition of all 3 procedures decreased the mean SDp estimate from .150 to .106, a 29% decrease. Six additional variance-producing artifacts were identified that could not be corrected for. In light of these it was concluded that the obtained estimates of mean SDp and mean validity variance accounted for were consistent with the hypothesis that the true mean SDp value is close to zero. These findings provide further evidence against the situational specificity hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)