Senescent fibroblasts in the tumor stroma rewire lung cancer metabolism and plasticity.

Senescence has been demonstrated to either inhibit or promote tumorigenesis. Resolving this paradox requires spatial mapping and functional characterization of senescent cells in the native tumor niche. Here, we identified senescent + cancer-associated fibroblasts with a secretory phenotype that promotes fatty acid uptake and utilization by aggressive lung adenocarcinoma driven by Kras and p53 mutations.

Exploring the delivery of end-of-life care by community nurses.

Aims: To understand what aspects of care and support were important to bereaved relatives and to explore the experiences of nurses delivering end of life care.

Methods: Interviews and focus groups were undertaken with 17 family members, 31 community nurses and 13 community hospital staff. A workshop was held with 6 family members, 13 community nurses and 3 hospital nurses to review findings and make recommendations for improvement.

A Fully Integrated Quartz MEMS VHF TCXO.

We report on a 32-MHz quartz temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) fully integrated with commercial CMOS electronics and vacuum packaged at wafer level using a low-temperature MEMS-after quartz process. The novel quartz resonator design provides for stress isolation from the CMOS substrate, thereby yielding classical AT-cut f/T profiles and low hysteresis which can be compensated to < ±0.2 parts per million over temperature using on-chip third-order compensation circuitry.

Prenatal paracetamol exposure and risk of asthma and elevated immunoglobulin E in childhood.

Background: We recently found that paracetamol (acetaminophen) use in late pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of early wheezing in the offspring.

Objective: To see whether use of paracetamol in late pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of asthma, wheezing and other atopic outcomes in the child at school age.

Methods: In the population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, we measured associations of paracetamol and aspirin use in late pregnancy (20-32 weeks) with asthma, hayfever, eczema (n = 8511) and wheezing (8381) in the offspring at 69-81 months, and with atopy (positive skin prick test to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat or grass, n = 6527) and blood total IgE (n = 5148) at 7 years.

Nutritional status of patients with leg ulcers.

A group of 30 consecutive patients from a leg ulcer clinic were compared with age- and sex-matched controls in respect of 11 indices which may reflect nutritional deficiency. Twenty-one controls and 23 patients showed a total of 92 abnormalities, of which 48 were classified as severe. Mean indices were not significantly different in the two groups apart from a lower haemoglobin in patients and raised serum ferritin in controls.

Test cells for use with anti-IgG sub-typing antisera in the antiglobulin test.

The preparation of test cells coated with specific IgG of known subclass is described. Such cells are required in the standardization of IgG subtyping reagents. At present, these test cells usually are prepared by coating cells with IgG myeloma paraproteins.

The quantification of erythrocyte antigen sites with monoclonal antibodies.

The application of monoclonal antibodies to the quantification of blood group antigen sites on erythrocytes was examined. A second antibody technique using labelled anti-mouse IgG could not be used as it was not possible to predict the binding ratio between this and the monoclonal antibody. A series of monoclonal antibodies (R10, R18, BRIC 13, BRIC 14) to the erythrocyte sialoglycoprotein alpha (syn: glycophorin A) showed the number of antigen sites to be from 0.

Quantitation of IgG on Erythrocytes: correlation of number of IgG molecules per cell with the strength of the direct and indirect antiglobulin tests.

The number of IgG molecules bound to the erythrocyte surface for a given agglutination score in the antiglobulin test was studied with several different examples of anti-D, anti-E, anti-c, anti-Kell, anti-Fya, anti-Jka and immune anti-A antisera. The serological scores show a significant correlation with the mean values for bound IgG molecules within a restricted range, although the number bound for a given score may vary by up to 20%. The limit of detection was 100-120 IgG molecules per cell and when over 1,000 were bound, the cells were completely agglutinated.

Incidence of T activation in a hospital population.

The incidence of T activation in a hospital population has been studied. T poly-agglutinability likely to cause serological problems was found in only 1:10,000 but minor degrees of T activation occurred in 1:200. In a number of cases, severe infections were accompanied by T activation, but we were unable to establish any primary association between T activation and anaemia.

Quantitation of antibody binding to erythrocytes in LISS.

The amount of antibody bound to cells in a low ionic strength solution (LISS) has been quantitated for several antibodies including anti-D, anti-c, anti-Kell, anti-Fya, and anti-Jka. With the exception of the Kell antibodies there was an enhancement of the rate of antibody uptake in LISS. For Rh antibodies the amount bound after a 5-min LISS incubation is comparable to that bound after 45 min in saline.

Detection of carotenoids in blood donors taking Orobronze: a cautionary note.

During the summer, plasma samples from eight blood donors at this transfusion centre were found to have a bright orange colour. All donors appeared to be healthy and haematological tests showed no abnormality. Extracts of lipid from the plasma revealed the presence of the carotenoid canthaxanthin and other carotenoid metabolites which were identified by thin-layer chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography, light absorbtion and mass spectrometry.

'Naturally occurring' anti-D in Rh(D) negative volunteers for immunization.

'Naturally occurring' anti-D has been studied in four Rh(D) negative males. The presence of this anti-D does not preclude successful deliberate immunization of Rh(D) negative volunteers; 'naturally occurring' anti-D does not provide a marker of non-responders to Rh immunization. 'Naturally occurring' anti-D is not necessarily the result of materno-fetal transfusion at birth.

Positive direct antiglobulin test in normal individuals. II.

Investigations into the IgG sub-types and number of molecules of IgG present on the red cells of 22 apparently normal healthy blood donors with positive direct antiglobulin tests are described. In all cases, the sub-type was IgG1 or IgG4, and none had more than 1000 mol of IgG per red cell. It is suggested that sequestration of IgG-coated cells only occurs when the number of IgG1 mol per cell reaches a certain level.

The quantification of C3 fragments on erythrocytes: estimation of C3 fragments on normal cells, acquired haemolytic anaemia cases and correlation with agglutination of sensitized cells.

A sensitive method is described for the quantification of C3 fragments on erythrocytes. A radiolabelled monoclonal antibody, was used which was directed against a C3d determinant on all forms of cell bound C3. The number of C3 molecules on normal erythrocytes was estimated to be 420 +/- 140.

A quantitative antiglobulin test for IgG for use in blood transfusion serology.

A sensitive method has been developed using 125I-labelled anti-IgG which allows detection of IgG present on the red cell surface. By suitable absorption and correction for non-specific binding to trypsinized red cells, a reproducible, accurate method of quantitating IgG absorbed onto red cells is obtained. The number of IgG molecules present on normal cells was found to range from 5 to 90 with an average of 39.

A rapid purification method for peanut anti-T lectin.

A novel method for the purification of the anti-T lectin from peanuts is described. The method is simple, easy to perform and requires no special reagents. The lectin is obtained in a highly purified from comparable to that prepared by affinity chromatography and large scale preparations are readily made.

Positive direct antiglobulin test in normal individuals.

65 normal, healthy people with a positive direct antiglobulin test (DAT) have been identified in a population of blood donors over a period of 14 years. 32 of them have been recalled for detailed study. A strong positive correlation with increasing age was noted, comparable to that seen in hospital patients with a positive DAT.