Optical frequency upconversion technique for transmission of wireless MIMO-type signals over optical fiber.

The optical fiber is well adapted to pass multiple wireless signals having different carrier frequencies by using radio-over-fiber (ROF) technique. However, multiple wireless signals which have the same carrier frequency cannot propagate over a single optical fiber, such as wireless multi-input multi-output (MIMO) signals feeding multiple antennas in the fiber wireless (FiWi) system. A novel optical frequency upconversion (OFU) technique is proposed to solve this problem. In this paper, the novel OFU approach is used to transmit three wireless MIMO signals over a 20 km standard single mode fiber (SMF). The OFU technique exploits one optical source to produce multiple wavelengths by delivering it to a LiNbO3 external optical modulator. The wireless MIMO signals are then modulated by LiNbO3 optical intensity modulators separately using the generated optical carriers from the OFU process. These modulators use the optical single-sideband with carrier (OSSB+C) modulation scheme to optimize the system performance against the fiber dispersion effect. Each wireless MIMO signal is with a 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz carrier frequency, 1 Gb/s data rate, and 16-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). The crosstalk between the wireless MIMO signals is highly suppressed, since each wireless MIMO signal is carried on a specific optical wavelength.

Radioimmunoassay for myeloma idiotype.

Rabbit anti-idiotype antisera were prepared against four human myeloma proteins. These antisera demonstrated a capacity to bind the 125I-labeled autologous purified monoclonal IgG, but failed to demonstrate any binding to 125I-labeled normal IgG or to labeled myeloma IgG obtained from other myeloma patients. The anti-idiotypic antisera were used with 125I-labeled autologous myeloma IgG preparations and goat antirabbit IgG for specific radioimmunoassay with a sensitivity limit of 20 ng/ml. Little or no cross-reaction occurred between these anti-idiotypic antisera and normal IgG preparations or other myeloma IgG proteins.

Controlled environment culture of bone marrow explants from human myeloma.

Bone marrow biopsy specimens from patients with myeloma were cultured in either 1 of 2 thin-film culture systems, a controlled environment steady state system or a rocker tube configuration of the system, for periods up to 42 days. Both functional and morphological characteristics of the myeloma cells were well-maintained in these systems. Cytocentrifuge preparations of the culture media disclosed hematopoietic cells that included from 5% to almost 100% plasma cells. Histological examination of the cultured specimens disclosed infiltration of the marrow with myeloma cells. Myeloma proteins were released at a steady rate throughout the period of culture after the 1st 4 days. Bone-resorbing activity was demonstrated in the culture media in 7 of 9 myeloma culture media and was well maintained, particularly during the 1st week of culture. This activity was associated with severe osteolytic lesions in the donor patient and marked infiltration of the cultured specimen by myeloma cells. The potential use of these organ culture systems for the further definitive identification of the factor responsible for bone destruction in myeloma is discussed.

Correlation of response to 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl cytosine and metabolism of drug by tumor.

Phosphorylation versus deamination of ara-C by tumor homogenates was measured in 10 patients prior to treatment with ara-C infusion. The ratio ranged from 0.24 to 1.2 in 5 malignant melanomas, 2.6 to 3.2 in 3 histiocytic lymphomas and 0.9 in a hemangiopericytoma. Treatment of the 9 patients with 2 courses of 5-day continuous ara-C infusion failed to produce objective evidence of tumor regression. The tenth patient had lymphosarcoma leukemia. The baseline ratio of ara-C phosphorylation over deamination activity of the tumor cells was 1.23. Treatment with 2 courses of continuous ara-C infusions produced a brief state of complete remission. The ratio of araC phosphorylation over deamination activity in the tumor cells after relapse was only 0.1 and retreatment with ara-C infusions failed to produce antitumor response. This study indicates that factors other than a high ratio of phosphorylation over deamination activity by the tumor seem to play an important role in the susceptibility of tumors to ara-C treatment.

Plasma cell leukemia: response to conventional myeloma therapy.

A 76-year-old man with plasma cell leukemia was treated with L-phenylalanine mustard and prednisone (CLGB 7461). There was good partial remission of the plasma cell disease characterized by disappearance of the plasma cells in the peripheral blood, reduction of plasma cells in the marrow aspirates to less than 5% of the nucleated hematopoietic cells, a reduction in the serum monoclonal IgG from 7.6 to 2 gms/100 ml, and the disappearance of urinary monoclonal IgG, Bence-Jones protein and a complex of gamma-chain fragment and beta2-microglobulins. There was also a marked improvement in the renal function and a decrease in the proteinuria from 4+ to 1+. The patient relapsed after more than 8 months of response and failed to respond to subsequent treatment with cytoxan and cytosine arabinoside. However, the efficacy of standard myeloma therapy was clearly apparent in this case of plasma cell leukemia.

Plasma cell neoplasm involving the thyroid.

Involvement of the thyroid gland by plasma cell neoplasms is very rare. On review of 248 cases, we found 4 cases in which pathological evidence of plasma cell neoplasm in the thyroid was verified. This was a heterogeneous group of patients; the thyroid involvement was clinically recognized as a site of extramedullary plasma cell neoplasm in one patient and as a part of generalized disease in two patients. In another patient with generalized disease, the thyroid involvement was discovered at autopsy.

Idiotype in myeloma terminating in erythroleukemia.

A patient with multiple myeloma, IgG kappa type, developed erythroleukemia with cytogenetic abnormalities three years after diagnosis. The latter disease progressed terminally to acute granulocytic leukemia. Anti-idiotype antibody reagents were prepared by injecting rabbits with the purified monoclonal IgG kappa obtained from the patient's serum and subsequent absorption of the antisera with normal IgG coupled to Sepharose 4B. These reagents reacted specifically with autologous myeloma cells but failed to react with all tested allogeneic cells: these included myeloma cells, reactive lymphocytes and plasma cells, and established lymphoid cell lines. Common idiotypic determinants were found in lymphoid and plasmacytic cells of the patient's marrow, spleen, lymph node, and gastrointestinal tract at autopsy that were not present in the leukemic population. The findings indicate that myeloma and granulocytic leukemia cells have separate clonal origins.

Studies on normal human bone marrow cultures in controlled environment thin-film culture systems.

Two thin film culture systems, the controlled environment steady state system (SS) and the rocker tube configuration of that system (RT), were used to identify some of the conditions that appear to maintain morphologic and functional characteristics of cells of human bone marrow explants in vitro. The systems configuration assured continual gassing, control and easy monitoring of the cultures. Cytocentrifuge preparations of media of specimens cultured in RT disclosed, though in decreasing numbers, various hematopoietic cells for periods exceeding one month. Hematopoietic cells shed from specimens cultured in the SS system were retained in the culture tubes; cells of the myelocytic series predominated for the first two weeks while an increasing number of monocytes and macrophages appeared in the media of of older cultures. Histologic examination of cultured explants disclosed preservation of the marrow architecture and the persistence of hematopoietic cells. Specimens cultured in RT tubes tended to be less cellular than similar cultures placed in dialysis bags or as cultured in the SS system. Immunoglobulins (Ig) were released into the culture media at a constant rate throughout the period of culture. Specimens that were cultured at a controlled pH of 7.4 released 2 to more than 4 times as much Ig as similar specimens maintained at a pH level of 7.1. There were no definitive differences in Ig levels in the cultures maintained at comparable pH levels and overlaid with various CO2 concentrations, i.e. 2%, 5%, 10% similarly, no differences in Ig levels were found in specimens cultured in media containing fetal bovine sera as opposed to horse sera.

Human chorionic gonadotrophins (hCG) in non-trophoblastic neoplasms. Assessment of abnormalities of hCG and CEA in bronchogenic and digestive neoplasms.

Evaluation of plasma hCG measurement in the diagnosis of nontrophoblastic neoplasms and assessment of the value of concomitant measurement of plasma hCG and CEA in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and neoplasms of the digestive tract were undertaken. Only one of 70 normal control subjects had positive plasma hCG (3.5 ng/ml), whereas 54 of 320 patients with nontrophoblastic neoplasms had measurable plasma hCG (1.9 to 160 ng/ml). Forty of these patients had less than 5.1 ng/ml. Elevated plasma CEA levels of 3.6 to 140 ng/ml were found in 38 of the 70 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and 30 of the 72 patients with neoplasms of the digestive tract in this series. Concomitant positive hCG was found in only six of the 68 patients who had elevated CEA levels, and positive hCG was found in eight of 74 patients who had normal plasma CEA. The low frequency and the modest elevation of plasma hCG, despite frequent advanced disease, indicate plasma hCG has limited value as a biologic marker for diagnosis and assessment of non-trophoblastic neoplasms.

Culture of mammalian prostatic cells.

Preliminary experimental data and concepts oriented toward the achievement of certified primary prostatic cell cultures, normal and/or malignant, for mass distribution are presented. Such monolayer cultures would be established as subcultures from the microcarrier, spin-filter (steady-state) system. The suspension culture of primary cells directly derived from the tissue of origin would be propagated at high cell populations for extended periods of time. The ease of complete monitoring on a sequential basis for conformity to specifications is apparent. The feasibility of the approach appears to have been established. Problems relating to the reduction to practice are detailed.

Treatment of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia: use of anthracycline-cytosine arabinoside induction therapy and comparison of two maintenance regimens.

Patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia were given remission induction therapy consisting of cytosine arabinoside and an anthracycline. Those patients who experienced complete remission received two courses of consolidation therapy and were randomized to receive maintenance therapy consisting of either daily chemotherapy with reinforcements every 3 mo or reinforcement therapy only every 6 wk. The overall complete remission rate was 66%, with 80% complete remission for previously untreated patients less than 60 yr of age who did not have a prior history of malignancy. Remission durations were the same for patients treated with both maintenance regimens. The major determinant for successful remission induction therapy was patient age, with older patients frequently succumbing to intercurrent infection. Documented leukemic cell resistance to the therapy employed was only rarely encountered. Once remission was achieved, age was no longer a determinant of patient survival, since duration of remission was independent of age. Remission durations were directly related to leukemic cell retention of cytosine arabinoside triphosphate. Hence therapy for acute nonlymphocytic leukemia can be divided into two separate areas: remission induction and remission maintenance.