Fluidized-bed receptor-affinity chromatography.

A multipurpose fluidized-bed receptor-affinity purification system based upon the biological recognition between an immobilized receptor and its soluble protein ligands is described. The fluidized affinity sorbent consists of a soluble form of interleukin-2 receptor chemically bonded to an aldehyde derivative of controlled pore glass beads, which have a pore diameter of 1000 A and a particle density of 1.2-1.

[Effect of heredity and environment in immune diseases. Presentation of twin data].

Background: The study of twins is an important and informative tool in the investigation of the influence of genetic and environmental factors on the pathogenesis of familial traits.

Material: Seven diseases were analysed by carrying out an intensive study of the literature to search for concordance of monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Apart from single case studies, large unselected series have been reported, some of which show considerable differences in concordance rates.

Primary osteosarcoma of the penis.

We report a case of an 84-year-old man with extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the penis arising within heterotopic bone. Extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the penis is an exceedingly rare entity; only two other well-documented cases have been reported in the English-language literature.

Identification of positive and negative transcriptional regulatory elements of the rabbit angiotensin-converting enzyme gene.

The two tissue-specific mRNAs encoding the isozymes of rabbit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) are generated from the same gene by alternative choice of two transcription initiation sites 5.7 kb apart. In the current study, we have characterized the regulatory sites controlling the transcription of the larger pulmonary isozyme mRNA.

Correction of the enzyme deficiency in hematopoietic cells of Gaucher patients using a clinically acceptable retroviral supernatant transduction protocol.

Gaucher disease is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GC), and is an excellent candidate for gene replacement therapy. To develop a clinically acceptable protocol for this purpose, we created two amplified (A) high-titer retroviral vector-producer cell lines to efficiently transduce hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. GP+envAm12/A-LGSN (A-LGSN), contained the GC cDNA driven by the retroviral long terminal repeat (LTR) and the neomycin phosphotransferase gene expressed from the simian virus 40 early promoter.

Case report 823: Fibro-osseous pseudotumor of the scapula.

A unique lesion discovered in the scapula of a 36-year-old woman is presented. The lesion has microscopic features resembling those of fibrous dysplasia and osteoid osteoma which we believe is identical to an entity previously only documented in the rib (fibro-osseous lesion of rib). We are of the opinion that the lesion probably represents a reactive response to trauma rather than a neoplasm and suggest the name of "fibro-osseous reparative pseudotumor" for this entity.

Forgotten person in the Huntington disease family.

Although spouses play a major role in managing the care of persons affected with Huntington disease (HD), often at the price of subordinating their own aspirations and needs, little or no professional attention has been given to them in the HD literature. Such factors as secrets kept from the spouse, the early age-of-onset of symptoms, gender, and the coping strategies employed by spouses of affected persons are discussed and illustrated. Also, the impact of predictive testing for HD on spouses of persons undergoing testing is briefly touched on.

Long-term in vivo expression of a murine adenosine deaminase gene in rhesus monkey hematopoietic cells of multiple lineages after retroviral mediated gene transfer into CD34+ bone marrow cells.

Retroviral mediated gene transfer into stem cells has been proposed as therapy for many inherited hematopoietic diseases. Deficiency of the enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) results in depletion of T lymphocytes, causing severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCIDS). In this report, we describe retroviral mediated gene transfer of a murine ADA cDNA into Rhesus monkey hematopoietic stem cells.

Cefpodoxime proxetil vs. penicillin V in pediatric streptococcal pharyngitis/tonsillitis.

This multicenter, randomized, parallel treatment, observer-blinded study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cefpodoxime proxetil (5 mg/kg twice daily for 10 days) compared with penicillin V (13.4 mg/kg three times daily for 10 days) for treatment of Group A streptococcal pharyngitis and tonsillitis in pediatric patients. Clinical and microbiologic results were evaluated before therapy, during therapy (Study Days 3 to 5), at the end of therapy (Study Days 14 to 18) and at long term follow-up (Study Days 30 to 32).

Adsorptive plasma treatment: optimization of extracorporeal devices and systems.

Devices in current use for adsorptive plasma treatment have, in many cases, been adapted from other types of separation processes. Minimizing system volume and quantity of ligand per mass transferred are proposed as appropriate design goals for an adsorptive plasma treatment system. The process consists of two operations: cell/plasma separation and solute adsorption/desorption.

Hematopoietic origin of human natural killer (NK) cells: generation from immature progenitors.

Human natural killer (NK) cells originate from bone marrow, but little is known about NK cell progenitors and ontogeny. We studied the phenotype and functional activity of NK cells derived from highly purified human bone marrow CD34+ cells, which exhibited neither lytic activity nor expression of surface antigens characteristic of NK (CD56) or T (CD3) cells. However, when cultured with hematopoietic growth factors or feeder layers for up to 4 weeks, up to 86% functional CD56+ cells were seen in the absence of mature T cell development.

Psychological aspects of genetic counseling. VIII. Suffering and countertransference.

Two common forms of countertransferential problems seen in genetic counseling, associative and projective, are described and illustrated. Both forms have the potential of reducing the quality of empathy counselors provide counselees. When counselors experience the same problems as the counselees they counsel it is virtually impossible to avoid facing countertransferential reactions which may not always promote the counselees' interests and/or redound to their benefit.

Primary small cell carcinoma of the vagina arising in a background of atypical adenosis.

Background: Primary small cell carcinoma of the vagina is rare, with only nine cases published to date. The authors report what they believe to be the first case of primary small cell carcinoma of the vagina arising in a setting of atypical adenosis.

Methods: The tumor was studied by light and electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

Breast cancer in patients irradiated for Hodgkin's disease: a clinical and pathologic analysis of 45 events in 37 patients.

Purpose: To characterize the clinical and pathologic features of patients who developed breast cancer (BC) after treatment for Hodgkin's disease (HD). Recent epidemiologic studies have shown that women who are cured of HD have an increased risk of developing BC.

Patients And Methods: The clinical data, mammograms, and pathologic specimens of 37 women who developed 45 BCs (eight bilateral events), and had a prior history of treatment for HD were analyzed.

Helper virus induced T cell lymphoma in nonhuman primates after retroviral mediated gene transfer.

Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus (MoMuLV) causes T cell neoplasms in rodents but is not known to be a pathogen in primates. The core protein and enzyme genes of the MoMuLV genome together with an amphotropic envelope gene are utilized to engineer the cell lines that generate retroviral vectors for use in current human gene therapy applications. We developed a producer clone that generates a very high concentration of retroviral vector particles to optimize conditions for gene insertion into pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A interaction with eucaryotic elongation factor 2. Role of the His426 residue.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) catalyzes the transfer of the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD+ onto eucaryotic elongation factor 2 (EF-2). To study the ETA site of interaction with EF-2, an immobilized EF-2 binding assay was developed. This assay demonstrates that ETA, in the presence of NAD+, binds to immobilized EF-2.

CD34+ bone marrow cells are infected with HIV in a subset of seropositive individuals.

Individuals infected with HIV frequently develop cytopenias and suppressed hematopoiesis. The role of direct HIV infection of hematopoietic progenitor cells in this process has not been defined. In this study, purified CD34+ bone marrow progenitor cells from 74 Zairian and American patients were studied by both coculture viral isolation and polymerase chain reaction for evidence of HIV infection.