Soluble HLA-G blood levels are not increased during ongoing pregnancy in women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss.

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects 1-2 % of couples who are trying to conceive. At some point, some couples do maintain a healthy pregnancy to term, but the underlying mechanism of RPL remains elusive. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G is an immune modulatory molecule. Our group previously showed increased HLA-G levels in the decidua of term pregnancies after RPL, while other studies showed reduced soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) blood levels in women with RPL. This led us to investigate sHLA-G levels in blood of women with RPL who had either a subsequent pregnancy loss (RPL-pregnancy loss) or a healthy term pregnancy (RPL-live birth), and compare these to healthy control pregnancies and non-pregnant controls. Soluble HLA-G concentrations were quantified by ELISA. Women with healthy term pregnancy had increased sHLA-G levels compared to non-pregnant controls. In contrast, RPL-live birth women at term did not have increased blood sHLA-G levels. Soluble HLA-G levels remained stable between first and third trimester. Interestingly, when comparing first trimester samples of RPL-live birth to RPL-pregnancy loss, sHLA-G levels also did not significantly differ. High sHLA-G levels in blood seem not to be crucial for an ongoing healthy pregnancy after RPL. However, since it was previously shown that women with RPL-live birth have increased HLA-G levels in term decidua compared to control pregnancies, the current data suggest that local and systemic immune regulation are not necessarily in concert. Further study of the contribution of fetus-derived HLA-G and HLA-G of maternal origin may provide more insight in the pathophysiology of RPL.

Effects of nutritional status and dietetic interventions on survival in Cystic Fibrosis patients before and after lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: This study retrospectively investigated nutritional status, dietetic intervention and intake in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients before and after lung transplantation (LTX). METHODS: Body Mass Index (BMI), Fat Free Mass Index (FFMI) and nutritional intake were retrieved from 75 out-patients aged 15-53 years. Patients were seen every 3-4 months during the waiting list time (range 0-81 months) and up to 116 months after LTX. Survival was measured in months. RESULTS: The median BMI at baseline was 19.2 kg/m(2) (range: 15.3 to 28.4 kg/m(2)) with 29 patients (39%) below ≤18.5 kg/m(2). FFMI (measured in 65 patients) had a median of 15.2 kg/m(2) (range: 11.1 to 22.4 kg/m(2)) with 39 patients (60%) ≤16.7 kg/m(2) (men) or ≤14.6 kg/m(2) (women). Median energy intake was 2800 kcal, 239 kcal higher than the estimated energy requirement. However, 8 patients consumed ≥500 kcal less than recommended. Protein intake was 104 (range 60-187) g or 1.9 g/kg per day. Despite dietetic intervention with oral nutritional supplements (ONS) (36 patients), tube feeding (12 patients), or both (13 patients), BMI and FFMI hardly improved pre-LTX. LTX was performed in 51 patients (68%); 10 patients died during follow-up, median survival time was 41 months. A BMI ≤18.5 kg/m(2) was more prevalent in patients who died before LTX (6/9) or who died after LTX (4/10) than in patients who were still alive on the waiting list (5/15) or who survived LTX (14/41). Results for FFMI were comparable. From 6-12 months post-LTX, BMI and FFMI markedly improved, especially in underweight patients. CONCLUSION: A BMI ≤18.5 kg/m(2) and an FFMI ≤16.7 kg/m(2) (men) or ≤14.6 kg/m(2) (women) appears to impair survival in LTX candidates with CF. Patients maintained a low body weight before LTX. After LTX weight gain is achieved.

Liquid order at the interface of KDP crystals with water: evidence for icelike layers.

We present a surface x-ray diffraction study on the KDP-water interface in which the structure of both the crystalline and liquid part of the interface has been measured. We have been able to determine the ordering components in the liquid in both the perpendicular and parallel directions. We find interface-induced ordering in the first four layers of water molecules. The first two layers behave icelike and are strongly bound to the surface. The next two layers are more diffuse and show only minor lateral and perpendicular ordering. Subsequent layers are found to behave similar to a bulk liquid.

Structure of CnCn+2Cn-type (n = even) beta'-triacylglycerols.

The crystal structures of the beta' phase of CLC (1, 3-didecanoyl-2-dodecanoylglycerol) and MPM (1, 3-ditetradecanoyl-2-hexadecanoylglycerol) have been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction and high-resolution X-ray powder diffraction data, respectively. Both these crystals are orthorhombic with space group Iba2 and Z = 8. The unit-cell parameters of beta'-CLC are a = 57.368 (6), b = 22.783 (2) and c = 5.6945 (6) A and the final R value is 0.175. The unit-cell parameters of beta'-MPM are a = 76.21 (4), b = 22.63 (1) and c = 5.673 (2) A and the final R(p) value is 0.057. Both the beta'-CLC and beta'-MPM molecules are crystallized in a chair conformation, having a bend at the glycerol moiety. The zigzag planes of the acyl chains are orthogonally packed, as is typical for a beta' phase. Furthermore, unit-cell parameters of some other members of the C(n)C(n+2)C(n)-type triacylglycerol series have been refined on their high-resolution X-ray powder diffraction pattern. Finally, the crystal structures are compared with the currently known structures and models of triacylglycerols.

Structure of mono-acid even-numbered beta-triacylglycerols.

The crystal structure of the beta polymorph of tripalmitin (1,2,3-trihexadecanoylglycerol, beta-PPP) has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The molecules crystallize in space group P1; in an asymmetric tuning-fork conformation. This structure and the already-known crystal structures of beta-tricaprin (beta-CCC) and beta-trilaurin (beta-LLL) could be matched in an overlap model. Apart from a difference in chain length, the three structures are almost identical. The overlap model can be used to predict the crystal structure of the other members of the C(n)C(n)C(n)-type (n = even) TAG series reasonably accurately. This is demonstrated by predicting the crystal structure for beta-trimyristin (beta-MMM) and successively comparing the experimental and calculated X-ray powder diagrams.

Retrospective study on the evolution of visual acuity after external beam radiotherapy (20 Gy, 2 Gy fractions) for subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes in ARMD.

This is a retrospective study of 104 patients with a total follow-up between 12 and 48 months (mean follow-up of 24 months), in which the effect of External Beam Radiotherapy with a total dose of 20 Gy (2 Gy fractions) on the visual acuity of eyes affected by subfoveal choroidal neovascularization is evaluated. The evolution of the visual acuity of the irradiated eyes is compared with the evolution of the visual acuity of their fellow eyes which were also affected by choroidal neovascularization but were not treated or treated by laser photocoagulation. This study suggests that the effect of radiotherapy, with a total dose of 20 Gy, on the visual acuity of eyes affected by subfoveal choroidal neovascularization, seems to be not better than the natural course of choroidal neovascularization or the evolution after laser therapy.

Crystal structure of osmylated c60: confirmation of the soccer ball framework.

An x-ray crystal structure that confirms the soccer ball-shaped carbon framework of C(60) (buckminsterfullerene) is reported. An osmyl unit was added to C(60) in order to break its pseudospherical symmetry and give an ordered crystal. The crystal structure of this derivative, C(60)(OsO(4))(4-tert-butylpyridine)(2), reveals atomic positions within the carbon cluster.

A stochastic model for the membrane potential of a stimulated neuron.

We present a simple model describing the transition between the prefiring, firing and postfiring phases of a single neuron in a large neural net. Using typical values for the physiological parameters that enter the model, we find average interspike times that are close to those reported in experimental measurements.

Histological features of skin reactions to human lymphoid cell line lymphokine in patients with advanced cancer.

Lymphokines (LCL-LK) prepared from the human lymphoid cell line RPMI 1788 were injected intradermally into tumour-bearing patients. Biopsies of skin reactions were obtained for histological study from 30 min. to 72 hr, and for comparison, biopsies were taken at similar times of tuberculin reactions in tuberculin-positive patients. The early response to LCL-LK consisted of polymorph adherence to vascular endothelium (at 30 min.) followed by polymorph exudation, oedema and haemorrhage (1-2 hr); mononuclear and eosinophilic leucocyte emigration began at 4 hr; and by 12 hr, when the reaction was maximal clinically, there was widespread pleomorphic leucocytic infiltration of the dermis. At later times (48-72 hr) skin reactions to LCL-LK showed predominantly mononuclear cell infiltration and hypertrophy of vascular endothelium. Electron microscopy at 48 hr revealed perivascular lymphocytes and macrophages. The skin reaction to LCL-LK appeared to superimpose an early component of marked polymorph infiltration, oedema and haemorrhage upon a mononuclear cell exudation similar to that seen in the tuberculin reaction. It was concluded that the later phase of the skin reaction to lymphoid cell line lymphokine in the human bore a close histological similarity to the established tuberculin reaction. The LCL-LK reaction occurred in patients anergic to recall antigens. Its intensity was mainly related to dose and did not vary substantially between different batches of lymphokines.

Changes induced by local injection of human lymphoid cell lymphokine into dermal metastases of breast carcinoma: a light and electron microscopical study.

Lymphokines (LCL-LK) prepared from the human lymphoid cell line RPMI 1788 were injected into dermal nodular metastases of three patients with advanced breast carcinoma anergic to recall antigen (tuberculin). Three different injection schedules were employed. Ten such nodules were examined by excision biopsy and their histological appearances were compared with biopsies of four further nodules not injected with the lymphokine. Intranodular injection of LCL-LK resulted in clinical regression of tumour and histological evidence of tumour-cell necrosis with pleomorphic leucocytic infiltration by polymorphs, macrophages and lymphocytes. Electron microscopy of two such nodules failed to show close cell contact between leucocytes and tumour cells prior to tumour-cell necrosis. This study extends evidence that injection of inflammatory lymphokines into accessible tumour can result in local tumour regression and it suggests that such tumour-cell destruction may be the result of a variety of factors operating during local inflammatory response.

The use of human lymphoid cell line lymphokine preparations (LCL-LK) as working standards in the bioassay of human leucocyte migration inhibition factor (LIF).

The leucocyte migration inhibition test in agarose as described by Clausen (1971) was modified into a statistically designed assay of LIF activity using human polymorphonuclear leucocytes from single blood donors. Individual assays included a laboratory standard of lymphokine with LIF activity prepared from the culture supernatants of the RPMI 1788 human lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL-LK). Analysis of 157 LIF assays revealed simple criteria by which the acceptability of an individual assay could be judged before subjecting it to statistical analysis. The failure of LIF assays to meet these criteria of acceptability was particularly associated with low areas of control polymorph migration in the absence of lymphokine ('spontaneous migration'). We demonstrate that the statistically designed assay permits the measurement, with precision, of LIF activity in units/ml by reference to a working standard of LCL-LK. We illustrate the use of this assay in the measurement of LIF activity generated by tuberculin-stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Statistically designed assay of migration-inhibitory activity in lymphokine preparations.

The migration inhibiton test in agarose as described by Clausen (Acta Allergol 26:56, 1971) was modified into a statistically designed assay comprising a laboratory standard in each assay, and using buffy coat cells or peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes from pigs as target cells. The precision of the assay was improved by combining cells from several pigs. Fifty-5000 microliters of lymphokine-containing test fluid could be used in the assay provided that this fluid contains the essential nutrients. In our hands, the capillary tests was unsuitable for a quantitative assessment of migration inhibition activity.

The effects of nandrolone, testosterone and their decanoate esters on murine lupus.

Treatment of NZB/NZW F1 (B/W) female and castrated male mice with testosterone or 19-nortestosterone (nandrolone), either by implantation in silastic tubing or by subcutaneous injections of their decanoate esters, reduced in a dose-dependent manner symptoms associated with murine lupus (proteinuria, IgG antibodies to DNA) and prolonged survival. These phenomena were observed under both prophylactic (start at 3-4 weeks) and therapeutic treatments (start 27-29 weeks). Nandrolone and its decanoate ester were at least as potent as testosterone and testosterone decanoate. As the unwanted androgenic properties of nandrolone and its ester are significantly less pronounced than those of testosterone and its ester, also in these NZB/NZW mice, the beneficial effect on murine lupus does not seem to be associated with these properties.

In vivo study of free and esterified cholesterol turnover in various tissues of the rat.

Rats were infused for 3.5 to 10 hrs with either red cells or plasma previously labelled in vivo by [3H]-cholesterol. Cholesterol specific radioactivities were measured in plasma, HDL, LDL and VLDL, and various tissues. Red cell infusions led to a higher labelling of free than of esterified cholesterol in the plasma of infused rats. The opposite situation was observed following plasma infusion. Comparison of free and esterified cholesterol specific radioactivities in each tissue showed that esterified cholesterol was transferred from plasma to all the tissues, except the adrenals. Study of the ratios of cholesterol specific radioactivities from one experimental group to the other in each tissue, made it possible to demonstrate clearly the occurence of hydrolysis within all the studied tissues except 5 of them where its existence remains uncertain (lung, heart, kidney, tendon, muscle) and of esterification in 3 tissues (adrenal, liver lung). In addition, ratios of cholesterol radioactivities (free/ester) were found to be identical in plasma and in 4 tissues, where neither hydrolysis nor esterification were detected (heart, muscle, kidney, tendon). This finding is an argument in favor of a simultaneous transport of free and esterified cholesterol from plasma into these 4 tissues and suggests that the entire lipoprotein particles can penetrate these tissues, with no specificity of one special class. In adrenal, unlike all other tissues: 1) the turnover of esterified cholesterol was achieved mostly by hydrolysis and esterification in situ; 2) a preferential lipoprotein class (LDL) was responsible for the transport of free cholesterol from the plasma.

[Influence of the daily ingestion of a total unsaponifiable extract from avocado and soy bean oils on cholesterol metabolism in the rat]. / Influence de l'ingestion quotidienne d'un extrait total d'insaponifiable sur le métabolisme du cholestérol chez le rat

The effects of ingestion of an unsaponifiable avocado and soya extract (P.I.A.S.) on the rates of cholesterol turnover were studied in the Rat smaller than in toto greater than. The balance is the same as in control rats, but fecal and urinary excretions of cholesterol are well enhanced and transformation into bile acids is consequently reduced. The absorption coefficient of cholesterol is unchanged in spite of the presence of phytosterols in the extract. The extract having been said to have a beneficial effect on scleroderma a special study was undertaken of the skin. The GLC analysis of sterols show the very probable presence of phytosterols and a richer proportion of cholesterol, precursors particularly methostenol in the skin of rats fed on P.I.A.S. than in that of the controls. These modifications do not produce any variations in the rate of cholesterol synthesis as measured in vitro.