A clinical evaluation in children of the Pharmacia ImmunoCAP system for inhalant allergens

BACKGROUND: The Pharmacia ImmunoCAP system (CAP) for assaying serum IgE specific antibodies was evaluated in a clinical setting against skin-prick test (SPT) performed using Dome/Hollister-Steir allergen extracts. The five common inhalant allergens D. pteronyssinus, D. farinae, mould mix, grass mix and cat epithelium were tested concurrently by both methods in 167 children aged 7.5-12 years. The specific SPT for D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae were also tested against the CAP house dust mite (HDM) mix. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Pharmacia ImmunoCAP system for detecting serum IgE specific antibodies to inhalant allergens in a clinical setting, using SPT result as the "gold standard'. METHODS: The SPTs were performed using Dome/Hollister-Steir allergen extracts. The serum IgE specific antibodies were quantitated using the radioimmunoassay version of the Pharmacia ImmunoCAP system. A history of allergic disease was assessed using a validated questionnaire. RESULTS: SPT gave more positive reactions than CAP with the exception of cat epithelium. The concordance between SPT and CAP results was 91% over all the tests. The concordance with SPT was slightly higher for the specific CAP for D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae (93% and 95% respectively) than for the CAP HDM mix (86% and 90% respectively). There was a higher proportion of positive results for both SPT and CAP in the 115 children defined as having a history of allergic disease. Using SPT defined allergy as the gold standard, the sensitivity of the CAP system was 87% for the two specific house dust mites but was lower for cat epithelium (67%), mould mix (59%) and grass mix (46%). The sensitivity of the CAP system improved for D. pteronyssinus (96%) and the HDM mix (91%) when tested in subjects defined as having a history of allergy associated disease. The specificity of the CAP system showed less variation between allergens and ranged from 90-99%. CONCLUSION: The results of this study of children aged 7.5-12 years demonstrate that, for the inhalant allergens tested, the Pharmacia ImmunoCAP system performs well in the setting of known allergic disease.     

A clinical retrospective evaluation of FA/HA coated (Biocomp) dental implants. Results after 1 year

The development of ovulation-inducing drugs has enabled clinicians to more effectively treat the hypothalamic, pituitary, and ovarian abnormalities resulting in infertility. Pregnancy rates have been improved with the use of agents such as clomiphene citrate (CC), human menopausal gonadotropin [hMG or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) preparations], with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its analogs, stimulating the development of multiple ovarian follicles and increasing the number of fertilizable oocytes. The use of these drugs is not without certain detrimental or "toxic" consequences. The negative effects from superovulation can occur during follicle development, decreasing the number of healthy oocytes and embryos capable of leading to viable pregnancy. Ovulation induction can lead not only to higher incidences of spontaneous abortions, and multiple and ectopic pregnancies, but also to poor pregnancy rates, due, in part, to asynchrony between embryonic development and the uterine environment. Diseases such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), resulting in the secretion of supraphysiologic levels of estradiol, can lend to severe health complications, possibly requiring hospitalization. Most drugs used for ovulation induction can lead to OHSS. Although incidences of OHSS following CC use are less frequent, CC has been associated with hot flushes, multiple gestations, visual disturbances, cervical mucus abnormalities, and luteal phase deficiency. Finally, there are reports that link any or all of the ovulation-inducing drugs with a higher incidence of ovarian and breast cancer, however, a cause-effect relationship has yet to be proven.     

Functional correction of renal defects in a mouse model for ARPKD through expression of the cloned wild-type Tg737 cDNA

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is characterized by the formation of large collecting tubule and ductular cysts that often result in renal insufficiency within the first decade of life. Understanding the process leading to cyst formation will require the identification and characterization of genes involved in the etiology of this disease. In this regard, we previously described the generation of a mouse model (TgN737Rpw) for ARPKD and the cloning of a candidate gene. Here we show direct involvement of the Tg737 gene in collecting duct cyst formation by expressing the wild-type Tg737 cDNA as a transgene in TgN737Rpw mutants. In contrast to TgN737Rpw mutants, the "rescued" animals survive longer, have normal renal function and normal localization of the EGFr to the basolateral surfaces of collecting duct epithelium.     

Isotype-specific antibody responses to foot-and-mouth disease virus in sera and secretions of "carrier' and "non-carrier' cattle

Isotype-specific antibody responses to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) were measured in the sera and upper respiratory tract secretions of vaccinated and susceptible cattle challenged with FMDV by direct contact or by intranasal inoculation. A comparison was made between cattle that eliminated FMDV and those that developed and maintained a persistent infection. Serological and mucosal antibody responses were detected in all animals after challenge. IgA and IgM were detected before the development of IgG1 and IgG2 responses. IgM was not detected in vaccinated cattle. Challenge with FMDV elicited a prolonged biphasic secretory antibody response in FMDV "carrier' animals only. The response was detected as FMDV-specific IgA in both mucosal secretions and serum samples, which gained statistical significance (P < 0.05) by 5 weeks after challenge. This observation could represent the basis of a test to differentiate vaccinated and/or recovered convalescent cattle from FMDV "carriers'.     

Selective isolation of reversible cold sensitive variants from Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures

The fine structure and cellular associations of the large pigment cells (LPC's) of the compound eye of the house fly were studied with high voltage and conventional electron microscopy. Depending on the sector of the compound eye, the facets are either rectangular or hexagonal. The underside of each facet has indentations exactly aligned with those on top into which inserts an angulated sleeve of LPC's. Under the rectangular lens facet 6 or 8 small compact (in cross section) LPC's join four elongate LPC's. Clusters of compact cells alternate in this ring with elongate ones. Compact cells compress together and become quadrangular (in cross section) several microns below their insertion into the lens and form "building block" corners while elongate cells form "side rails" for the rectangular type of distal pseudocone enclosure. Beneath hexagonal facets all LPC's are rather elongate with out corner cells. In both facet types LPC's enclose the pseudocone for a longitudinal distance of 4 mum and then are displaced as bordering cells by a sleeve of two corneal pigment cells (CPC's), each of which encloses half of the proximal pseudocone. For the following 6 mum of longitudinal distance these concentric sleeves of CPC's and LPC's form a double layer around the pseudocone. At about 10 mum below lens base the two sleeves separate; LPC's become attenuated and extend cable-like to the basement membrane and CPC's enclose the proximal pseudocone, Semper cells and distal retinula. The junction between lens and LPC's has critical structural value in that (1) this is the sole anchorage to the lens by the lengthy remainder of the ommatidium, and (2) LPC's enclose the semiliquid pseudocone in the most distal portion of the pseudocone. In addition to vertical support, the LPC's send out numerous lateral processes that make structural contact among themselves, with the corneal pigment cells and the photoreceptor cells. The structural features of this array are discussed relative to possible physiological roles.     

Influence of noise intensity on the spectrum of an oscillator

This paper investigates the influence of high-intensity noise on the correlation spectrum of a two-dimensional (2-D) nonlinear oscillator. An exact analytical solution for the correlation spectrum of this 2-D oscillator is provided. The analytical derivations are well suited for oscillators with white noise of any intensity, but computational constraints on the solution of the partial differential equation may make it impractical for cases where the number of state variables exceeds three. The spectral results predicted by our analytical method are verified by numerical simulations of the noisy oscillator in the time domain. We find that the peak of the oscillator spectrum shifts toward higher frequencies as the noise intensity is increased, as opposed to the fixed oscillation frequency predicted in the existing literature. This phenomenon does not appear to have been reported previously in the context of phase noise in oscillators.     

Oxidation Behavior of γ′-Ni3Al-Based Ni–20Al–5Cr Alloys With and Without Reactive Elements Under Different Heating Conditions

Oxidation of Metals - High-temperature oxidation of a model γ′-Ni3Al-based Ni–20Al–5Cr alloy and versions of this alloy doped with Y, Hf, or Si, or some combination of these,...