Partial characterization of a cell-directed inhibitor of leukotaxis in human serum

A leukotactic defect is described in a man with a low cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte count in the presence of an acute listeria meningitis. On the basis of subsequent studies with his serum and normal human serum, a leukotactic inhibitor has been identified. This inhibitor, termed the cell-directed inhibitor (CDI), is relatively heat stable and nondialyzable. By ultracentrifugal analysis in sucrose density gradient, the inhibitor has been resolved into two activities with estimated sedimentation coefficients of 7 and 10 S. It interacts directly with neutrophils and monocytes to render them chemotactically defective. CDI also impairs the phagocytic function of neutrophils. Evidence is presented that an antagonist to the inhibitor is present in normal serum. CDI and its antagonist are probably normally occurring regulators of leukotaxis. In the patient studied, an elevated CDI serum level may be related to the development of the listeria infection and failure of cutaneous response to skin test antigens.     

Orthopantomographic X-ray findings, not due to jaws or teeth, and their interpretation

An attempt was made to make an early diagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation due to chronic placental insufficiency using ultrasound cephalometry and biochemical tests of placental function. We examined 83 hospitalised patients in whom there was a risk or suspicion of chronic placental insufficiency. For each patient an average of 4 determinations were made of head diameter, 10 of estriol and 3 of pregnandiol urinary excretion, 6 serum HPL and 7 of heat stable alkaline phosphatase (HSAP). Fetal growth retardation was assumed if the last 2 determined head diameters were below the normal curve with the same tendency and with term being well predicted. Biochemical parameters were considered to indicate pathological changes if they were 95% below normal values, with 2 below this range or 3 continuously falling below the normal level. Infants were assessed after birth both neurologically and somatically according to DUBOWITZ. Small for date infants were those whose birth weight was below the 10th percentile (LUBCHENKO). This was found to be the case in 15 out of 83 newborns five of whom were younger than 37 weeks. These 15 could be diagnosed before birth with various degrees of certainty. For estriol and HPL this was 67% or 53% and these two parameters were found to be the most valuable. Cephalometry was found to be less valuable with 20%, pregnandiol levels with 9% and placental HSAP with 33%. Hence it is recommended to perform serial determinations of estriol and HPL in the third trimester of pregnancy in all patients with histories indicative of fetal growth retardation and in those in whom the uterus appears small for date.     

Assessment of regional blood filling by using the rheoplethysmographic method combined with functional tests

Vascular responses of fingers and toes to the occlusion test as well as fingers, head, lungs and liver to the Valsalva maneuver were studied. The responses to the tests depended on the initial level of blood filling. The different level of blood filling was induced by orthostatic, head-down tilt and LBNP tests. It is recommended to use rheography (slow and pulse components) in combination with the occlusion test and Valsalva maneuver in order to assess regional blood filling and venous tone of crew-members in space flights.     

Acute clinical hypocalcemic myocardial depression during rapid blood transfusion and postoperative hemodialysis: a preventable complication

Cellular and humoral immunity, and lymphoid organ pathology, have been investigated in 10 institutionalized patients with tuberous sclerosis and 10 institutionalized matched controls without the disease. Type and incidence of infections and tumours were reviewed for each group, as was current medication. Elevated serum IgM levels were found in the patients with tuberous sclerosis, but no immunological deficiency of either cellular of humoral immunity was found, nor was there a difference in infection between the groups. Only patients with tuberous sclerosis had evidence of neoplasia. No morphological or histological abnormalities of lymph nodes, spleen or thymus were present. Explanations for the difference between tuberous sclerosis and ataxia telangiectasia are discussed, together with the effect of immuno-surveillance on the development of malignancy.     

The solid state diffusion pump

The concept of a solid state diffusion pump is discussed. In such a device, ionized atoms are injected into a membrane which separates the pumped region and a higher pressure backing region. The injected ions are not stored indefinitely in this membrane as in ion pump geometry however but are transported across the membrane by diffusion. Diffusion across the membrane is enhanced by a thermal gradient or, more practically, by producing a defect gradient in the membrane by simultaneous ion irradiation from the backing region.     

Macromolecular organization and biochemical characteristics of the genome of phage FI-1

The molecular weight of phage FI-1 DNA is determined by the methods of sedimentation and kinetics of reassociation, as well as from buoyant density values of virion components and specific partial volume of DNA (85X10(6) daltons). The spectral analyses showed that the distribution of guanine-cytosine pairs along the whole length of the molecule is Gaussian. The DNA content in the particle of FI-1 makes up to 41%, which is 7% less as compared to the morphologically related phage T4. The protein component analysis of phage FI-1 demonstrated that the genome of this virus is capable to encode at least 20 different proteins. Possible reasons for differences in the molecular weights of the genomes of T4 and FI-1 phages are discussed.