Effects of the HEET garment in the prevention of hypothermia in a porcine model.

BACKGROUND: Hypothermia is a common battlefield trauma occurrence. This study compared the effectiveness of the hypothermia, environmental, exposure, and trauma (HEET) garment (Trident Industries, Beaufort, SC) with and without thermal inserts with a control group of two wool blankets in the prevention of hypothermia in a treated hypovolemic porcine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five female swine (Sus scrofa-Yorkshire cross) were assigned to each of three groups: HEET with thermal inserts (n=5); HEET without thermal inserts (n=5); or control (n=5). After the animals were anesthetized and stabilized for 30 min, the swine were hemorrhaged to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 30 mm Hg, simulating a battlefield injury. Hetastarch 6% (500 mL) was rapidly administered, simulating initial field resuscitation. One hour later, the animals' shed blood was reinfused, simulating transfusion at a field medical facility. The investigators moved the animal into a cooler set at 10°C ± 0.5°C. A pulmonary artery catheter was used to monitor core body temperature over a 6-h period. RESULTS: A repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test were used to analyze the data. There was a significant difference between the groups. At the end of 6h, the mean core temperature for the HEET with inserts group was 32.69°C ± 1.5; the HEET without inserts, 31.02°C ± 1.8; and control, 34.78°C ± 1.2 (P<0.05). While all groups became hypothermic, the wool blanket group was most effective in maintaining body temperature closer to normothermia. CONCLUSION: The HEET garments with and without heaters are ineffective in preventing hypothermia.

Cell adhesion-related proteins as specific markers of sponge cell types involved in allogeneic recognition.

Sponge immunocyte identification is of interest to comparative immunologists since characterizing these cells will allow investigations into the mechanisms of non-self recognition in the oldest animal phylum. Here, we report that polyclonal antibodies raised against the core protein of a proteoglycan involved in cell adhesion in the marine sponge Microciona prolifera are specific markers for archaeocytes, the totipotent sponge cells. Archaeocytes are mobilized upon allogeneic contact and they accumulate in the contact zone. A second type of cell, the gray cells, are specifically recognized by monoclonal antibodies raised against CD44, a hyaluronan receptor. Gray cells do also accumulate in the contact area. Specific staining of a third sponge cell type, the rhabdiferous cells, shows that these do not accumulate upon allografting. These specific cell markers allow tracking of archaeocytes and gray cells, and show that they play an active role in sponge allogeneic reactions.