Rapid culture of human keratinocytes in an autologous, feeder-free system with a novel growth medium.

Background Aims: The ability to culture human keratinocytes is beneficial in the treatment of skin injury and disease, as well as for testing chemicals in vitro as a substitute for animal testing.

Results: We have identified a novel culture medium for the rapid growth of keratinocytes from human skin. "Kelch's medium" supports keratinocyte growth that is as rapid as in the classical Rheinwald and Green method, but without the need for cholera toxin or xenogeneic feeder cells.

MIS416, a non-toxic microparticle adjuvant derived from Propionibacterium acnes comprising immunostimulatory muramyl dipeptide and bacterial DNA promotes cross-priming and Th1 immunity.

Propionibacterium acnes was modified using biochemical extraction methods generating a suspension of microparticles (MIS416) comprising a minimal cell wall skeleton rich in immunostimulatory crosslinked muramyl dipeptide repeats and native bacterial DNA fragments, each which have known adjuvant activity. In vitro studies demonstrated that MIS416 was readily internalized by human myeloid and plasmacytoid DC inducing cytokine secretion and cell activation/maturation. Vaccination studies in mice using OVA as a model antigen demonstrated that MIS416 acts as a Th1 adjuvant, promoting cross-priming of cytotoxic CD8(+) T cell responses and enhanced anti-tumour immunity.

Acute dysvascular limb in a young adult. A case study.

Acute dysvascular limb in young adults is a rare entity. Diagnosis is often difficult because symptoms are not recognized as ischemic. The most common causes of this condition are premature atherosclerosis, thromboangiitis obliterans, microemboli, popliteal entrapment syndrome, collagen vascular disease, Takaysu's arteritis, and coagulopathy.

The effect of local cooling on digital systolic pressure in patients with Raynaud's syndrome.

The effect of local controlled cooling on the digital systolic blood pressure in the hand was studied in 25 healthy volunteers and 25 patients with Raynaud's syndrome. Arterial systolic pressure was indirectly measured using a digital cuff over the proximal phalanx and a photoplethysmographic probe over the digital pulp to detect pulsation. Pressures were measured after occlusion of the circulation (cuff at 180 mmHg) for 5 minutes with water circulating initially at 30 degrees C and then at 10 degrees C.

Comparison of the biophysical and biochemical properties of Penicillium cyaneo-fulvum virus and Penicillium chrysogenum virus.

The biophysical and biochemical properties of Penicillium cyaneo-fulvum virus (Pc-fV) and Penicillium chrysogenum virus (PcV) have been compared. In sucrose density gradient sedimentation, purified virus preparations gave one major component, L, and three minor components E1, E2 and H with sedimentation coefficients of 145S, 80S, 102S and 172S respectively in each case. E1, E2 were shown to be empty particles.