A humanized form of a CD4-specific monoclonal antibody exhibits decreased antigenicity and prolonged plasma half-life in rhesus monkeys while retaining its unique biological and antiviral properties

Certain monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against CD4 can efficiently block HIV-1 replication in vitro. To explore CD4-directed passive immunotherapy for prevention or treatment of AIDS virus infection, we previously examined the biological activity of a nondepleting CD4-specific murine MAb, mu5A8. This MAb, specific for domain 2 of CD4, blocks HIV-1 replication at a post-gp120-CD4 binding step. When administered to normal rhesus monkeys, all CD4+ target cells were coated with antibody, yet no cell clearance or measurable immunosuppression occurred. However, strong anti-mouse Ig responses rapidly developed in all monkeys. In the present study, we report a successfully humanized form of mu5A8 (hu5A8) that retains binding to both human and monkey CD4 and anti-AIDS virus activity. When administered intravenously to normal rhesus monkeys, hu5A8 bound to all target CD4+ cells without depletion and showed a significantly longer plasma half-life than mu5A8. Nevertheless, an anti-hu5A8 response directed predominantly against V region determinants did eventually appear within 2 to 4 weeks in most animals. However, when hu5A8 was administered to rhesus monkeys chronically infected with the simian immunodeficiency virus of macaques, anti-hu5A8 antibodies were not detected. Repeated administration of hu5A8 in these animals resulted in sustained plasma levels and CD4+ cell coating with humanized antibody for 6 weeks. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of chronic administration of CD4-specific MAb as a potential means of treating or preventing HIV-1 infection.     

The Land Analysis System (LAS) for multispectral image processing

The Land Analysis System (LAS) is an interactive software system available in the public domain for the analysis, display, and management of multispectral and other digital image data. LAS provides over 240 applications functions and utilities, a flexible user interface, complete online and hard-copy documentation, extensive image-data file management, reformatting, conversion utilities, and high-level device independent access to image display hardware. The authors summarize the capabilities of the current release of LAS (version 4.0) and discuss plans for future development. Particular emphasis is given to the issue of system portability and the importance of removing and/or isolating hardware and software dependencies     

When exceptions prove the rule: how extremity of deviance determines the impact of deviant examples on stereotypes

The authors examined how the extent to which counterstereotypic individuals deviate from perceivers' stereotypes affects their impact on these stereotypes and found that extremely deviant group members provoke less stereotype assimilation than do moderately deviant ones. Extremely deviant examples can even provoke boomerang effects, that is, enhance the very stereotype that they violate. When participants whose prior stereotype were moderate or extreme were exposed to moderately or extremely deviant examples, the deviant examples' impact on stereotypes depended both on their extremity and on the extremity of perceivers' prior stereotypes. Boomerang effects were obtained only for extreme-stereotype participants exposed to extremely deviant examples and were mediated by perceptions of the typicality of the deviant examples. Open-ended explanations revealed that the atypicality of extremely deviant examples was used as grounds for dismissing them.     

Connecting the research and nursing processes: making a difference in baccalaureate students' attitudes and abilities

Student nurses are often intimidated by the research process. They also frequently have negative attitudes about working with the elderly, especially in long-term care settings. This article describes a clinical project designed to help students improve their attitudes, knowledge, and skills toward research and care of the elderly by connecting the research process and the nursing process. Students implement research-based clinical practice in a long-term care setting. Student evaluations indicate that project goals are achieved. Nursing staff evaluation data indicate that they find student projects interesting and useful in updating resident care plans.     

A comparison of K+ channel characteristics in human T cells: perforated-patch versus whole-cell recording techniques

Standard whole-cell records using the patch-clamp technique are obtained after rupturing the cell membrane just below the patch pipette. Inherent problems, such as the disruption of cellular architecture and the displacement of cytosol, are unavoidable. In the present report, a whole-cell recording technique which makes use of a monovalent cation ionophore, nystatin, was applied to lymphocytes. Nystatin-perforated patches allow electrical access to the cell interior while virtually blocking the diffusion of cellular constituents into the electrode. By comparing standard whole-cell and perforated-patch techniques we observed marked differences in: activation, inactivation, and deactivation kinetics; steady-state inactivation; and the conductance-voltage relationship of K+ currents in activated human T cells.     

An Accurate Probe for Mapping Strong HF Magnetic Fields

Design, calibration, and performance of an HF magnetic field probe based on photoammeter principles are discussed. The probe is minimally field perturbing, measures an average value of magnetic field over a 2 cm2 area, has precision to ±1 percent of full scale values, and has an accuracy of ±5 percent. The probe can measure orthogonal components of a field, and in that sense is a vector probe. Relative phases of orthogonal field components are not measured, however. The probe is useful in measuring and mapping relatively intense magnetic fields of known frequency (e.g., 80 A/m at 13.56 MHz) such as those used in hyperthermia for cancer treatment with magnetic induction techniques. Accurate magnetic field measurements permit a determination of the absorbed power densities that result in tissue heating.     

A Review of Magnetic Induction Methods for Hyperthermia Treatment of Cancer

Magnetic induction methods of producing power absorption in tissue are used for achieving tumor hyperthermia in experimental cancer therapy. Electromagnetic field distributions and associated tissue energy absorption rates (SAR) of concentric, pancake, and coaxially paired current coils are discussed. Application of the bioheat transfer equation using these SAR distributions yields predictions of normal tissue and intratumoral temperature elevations. The corroboration of these predictions by phantom, animal, and human studies confirms the importance of bioheat transfer modeling in evaluation of these hyperthermia methods. Tumor sizes, depths, and locations likely to be therapeutically heated by magnetic induction techniques are reviewed, based upon available evidence.     

Embedded surface classification in digital sports

In this presentation, we give a detailed analysis of the considerations needed for mapping the complete pattern classification chain to the restricted embedded system hardware environment. We describe the methodology of the design, realization and testing process that takes these hardware limitations into account. For this purpose, we consider a particular embedded application from the field of digital sports: a novel running shoe that is capable of sensing run-specific parameters and adapting the cushioning setting accordingly. Of utmost importance in this context is the classification of the current surface condition in order to enable optimal adaptation to the prevailing situation. Following our design approach, we provide a classification system with a runner-independent surface classification rate of more than 80%. This system is implemented in the current version of the aforementioned running shoe. The presented methodology is quite general as it makes no system-dependent assumptions and can thus be transferred to many other embedded classification applications.     

The calculated and measured temperature distribution of a phasedinterstitial antenna array [invasive applicators]

The power deposition pattern of four antennas, positioned on the corners of a 2-cm square array with different driving phases, is computed under the assumption of negligible coupling between the antennas. The spatial SAR (specific absorption rate) distribution is calculated by modeling each interstitial applicator as an insulated, asymmetric dipole. For comparison with the heating patterns measured by a thermal video system, the calculated SAR distributions are converted into temperature patterns through an electric network simulation of the heating in artificial muscle tissue. At each nodal point of a grid in the thermal system, the absorbed microwave power (or SAR times density), thermal resistivity, heat capacitance, and temperature are simulated, respectively, as current source, electrical resistance, electrical capacitance and potential. Therefore, solving the equivalent electric network on a computerized simulation routine (SPICE) yields the temperature distribution. In both the axial and transverse planes, the resulting temperature distributions from the antenna array, with various driving phases, agree very well with the measured temperature patterns