Autologous platelet concentrate for the treatment of full-thickness macular holes.

Background: To improve the anatomic success rate in the surgery of full-thickness macular holes, we tested, in a prospective pilot study, the effects of autologous platelet concentrate deposited on the macula at the end of surgery.

Methods: Two consecutive groups of patients were compared. Twenty eyes (group 1, mean symptom duration 11 months) were operated on with injection of an autologous platelet concentrate on the macula after fluid-gas exchange.

[Ablation of the internal limiting membrane, macular unfolding and visual outcome in surgery of idiopathic epimacular membranes].

The files of 40 patients operated on for epimacular membranes were reviewed in order to correlate the functional and anatomical results with the presence or absence of internal limiting membrane on histological specimens. Only the eyes with idiopathic membranes were considered for the study. Visual acuity and fluorescein angiography were obtained preoperatively and at the 6 months postoperative visit.

First evidence of somatic embryogenesis from needles of 1-year-old Picea abies plants.

Somatic embryogenesis was obtained from hypocotyls and cotyledons of one month old plantlets of Picea abies. Embryogenic yield was higher with expiants from somatic embryo-derived plantlets (80 %) than with plantlets issued from zygotic embryos (10 %). This report also describes production of embryogenic calli from needles of 14 month old somatic embryo-derived plants cultivated in greenhouse.

Characterization of antibody labelled colloidal gold particles and their applicability in a sol particle immuno assay (SPIA).

This study describes the characterization of antibody labelled colloidal gold particles and their applicability in a sol particle immuno assay (SPIA) to quantify murine monoclonal antibodies of all IgG isotypes. Two physical methods (transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS], were used to obtain information about particle size and morphology of the gold sols, but only with DLS antibody labelling could be detected. In addition, electrophoretic methods like agarose electrophoresis and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed also that antibody labelling was successful.

Accessibility of gonococcal and meningococcal surface antigens: immunogold labeling for quantitative electron microscopy.

The parallel application of two electron microscopic immunogold labeling procedures was used to assess the surface exposure and accessibility of gonococcal and meningococcal surface antigens. Monoclonal antibodies were used as markers for the surface antigens, i.e.

In vivo adherence and colonization of Vibrio cholerae strains that differ in hemagglutinating activity and motility.

A scanning electron microscopic study was carried out to compare the in vivo pathogenicity of two strains of Vibrio cholerae in an adult rabbit ligated-gut test model. V. cholerae C5 (serotype Ogawa, biotype El Tor), a motile strain possessing hemagglutinating activity in vitro, and C21 (serotype Ogawa, classical biotype), a nonmotile strain possessing no hemagglutinating activity, were tested.

Histological evaluation of immunologically mediated tumor regression of the line 10 guinea pig hepatocarcinoma.

The histology of immunologically mediated tumor regression was studied in the syngenic strain 2 guinea pig/line 10 hepatocellular carcinoma tumor system. Tumor regression was induced non-specifically by the intralesional injection of living Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in 7-day-old established tumors (diameter 8-10 mm). In untreated line 10 tumors at day 7 a mild to moderate inflammatory reaction was present, which consisted mainly of small mononuclear cells; in addition large mononuclear cells and basophils were present.

Effects of serum complement levels on the mobilization of mature white blood cells in relation to mobilization of CFUS.

It was investigated whether the complement dependency of CFUS mobilization observed for certain mobilizing agents is unique for the CFUS compartment, or whether this mobilization reflects a more general mechanism, which involves also the mobilization of mature leukocytes. The number of all recognizable nucleated cell types in the blood was determined following the injection of the mobilizing agents, i.e.