Complete hydatidiform moles may originate from either the fertilization of an empty egg by a haploid sperm followed by duplication (producing a monospermic, homozygous mole) or the fertilization of such an egg by two haploid sperms (producing a dispermic, heterozygous mole). This difference in the mechanism leading to the formation of complete moles raises the question of whether the risk of subsequent malignancy is influenced by the zygosity of the mole. We have compared the incidence of postmolar sequelae in patients with homozygous and heterozygous moles. Using chromosomal heteromorphisms, human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) and phosphoglucuromutase 1 (PGM1) polymorphisms, we established the androgenetic origin of complete mole in 84 of 91 cases. Homozygosity was confirmed in 51 moles, and we found ten heterozygous moles. Five of ten patients with heterozygous moles developed postmolar trophoblastic disease, whereas only two of the 51 patients with homozygous moles had postmolar trophoblastic disease (an additional five patients showed signs of degenerating residual trophoblasts). The XY sex chromosome constitution of the two in vitro choriocarcinoma cell lines examined here provides further evidence of the propensity to malignancy of heterozygous moles.

Choriocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effects of immune globulin on endotoxemia.

Ten patients (mean age, 40 years; 2 women) with endotoxemia received 2.5 gm of immune globulin daily for 4 days or 5 gm daily for 2 days. In all patients, plasma endotoxin levels decreased to normal levels (< or = 9.8 pg/ml) within a mean of 3.2 days after starting immune globulin treatment, and body temperatures decreased to < 37 degrees C within 4.5 days. In 10 antibiotic-treated (control) patients with endotoxemia who did not receive immune globulin, plasma endotoxin levels declined to normal levels in 6 and their body temperatures dropped to normal levels within 5.0 days; no changes in body temperature were noted in the 4 patients whose plasma endotoxin levels did not decrease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of endotoxemia with low-dose intramuscular injections or oral administration of polymyxin B.

Thirty patients with sepsis received 50,000 U of polymyxin B intramuscularly per day (n = 22) or 3 million U orally per day (n = 8). Plasma endotoxin levels were measured by the Endospecy test after treating the plasma with a new perchloric acid method. Plasma endotoxin levels were reduced to normal values (less than 9.8 pg/ml) in all the injected patients within two days and in all the orally treated patients within three days. Clinical symptoms were also ameliorated. No treatment side effects were reported. It is concluded that polymyxin B is a safe and effective treatment against endotoxemia.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Perchloric acid, toxicolor, endospecy, and miconazole in the early diagnosis and treatment of fungemia.

As a procedure for the diagnosis of fungemia, Toxicolor and Endospecy (limulus tests using a synthetic chromogenic substrate) were used to measure (1----3)-beta-D-glucan (beta-glucan), which is a membranous component of fungus. The plasma samples were pretreated with a new perchloric acid method. These methods permit measurement of the beta-glucan within about two hours. Patients in whom fungemia was diagnosed were effectively treated with miconazole.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibitory effects of ulinastatin on the production of cytokines: implications for the prevention of septicemic shock.

The study was designed to determine whether ulinastatin can be used as a biological response modifier for the prevention of septicemic shock. Monocytes from heparinized blood of three healthy volunteers were incubated with 0.125 or 1.25 U/ml of ulinastatin, and then endotoxin (Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide) was added at concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 micrograms/ml. A dose-dependent increase in the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 alpha, and interleukin-1 beta was noted after endotoxin stimulation. Production of these cytokines was inhibited by the addition of ulinastatin in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that ulinastatin could be useful in the prevention of septicemic shock.

Cytokines↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of IPM/CS in gram-negative bacillus infections: use of an endotoxin-specific assay.

The subjects were 26 patients hospitalized with severe trauma or burns. Twice daily for seven to 14 days, 1 gm of IPM/CS (a 1:1 combination of imipenem and cilastatin sodium) was administered by intravenous drip infusion to each patient. Clinical outcome was rated excellent in nine patients, good in 12, and fair in five. Bacteria, isolated in 21 of the 26 patients, were eliminated in 18 and decreased in three. Mean endotoxin levels, assessed by the Endospecy method, were reduced from 167.8 pg/ml before treatment to 5.1 pg/ml after treatment. No treatment side effects were noted.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of coccidiosis in chickens: use of a single serum dilution.

A simplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to survey broiler chickens for coccidial infection. With an antigen derived from Eimeria tenella oocysts and a single serum dilution of 1:100, the absorbance values were directly used for the evaluation of antibody levels. When the detection level, determined with sera from specific-pathogen-free chickens, was used as the negative standard, randomly selected sera from broiler chickens essentially were negative. Sera were periodically collected from two flocks of commercial broilers reared under medication, and their ELISA titers were compared with their excretion of oocysts. When the oocyst isolation rate indicated that infection was severe, a substantial number of chickens showed high absorbance values in ELISA. These results indicate that coccidial infections in the field can be detected serologically with ELISA.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Direct correlation between the titer of infectious bursal disease virus VP2-specific antibody and protection.

The titer of antibody specific to infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was measured by a new method and correlated with protection. Challenge was carried out in chickens with various antibody titers, which were measured using a latex agglutination-inhibition (LI) test, a rapid and easy technique for measuring IBDV VP2-specific antibody. When actively immunized chickens had LI titers of 1:2 or more, almost all were protected from subsequent challenge with highly virulent IBDV. In contrast, even when chickens passively immunized with maternally derived antibody had LI titers of 1:4, half were susceptible to the same challenge.

Agglutination Tests↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Protective effect of oral administration of killed Haemophilus paragallinarum serotype A on chickens.

Orally administered bacterin of killed Haemophilus paragallinarum effectively induced production of serum hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies in chickens, and all immunized chickens were protected from subsequent infection. Although one intramuscular dose of 10(8) cells adjuvanted with aluminium phosphate gel (equivalent to commercial vaccine) induced protective immunity, two oral doses of 10(10) cells each with no adjuvants were required to induce effective immunity.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of route of inoculation on protection by killed vaccines in chickens.

The effect of various routes of immunization on protection against challenge by virulent agents was examined in chickens. Chickens were immunized intratracheally, intranasally, per os, by crop gavage, and intramuscularly. Agents examined were killed Haemophilus paragallinarum, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and infectious bursal disease virus. Results of immunization by intratracheal administration were equivalent to those produced by parenteral administration. All vaccines effectively induced production of serum antibodies against pathogens, and all immunized chickens were protected against infection by each pathogen.

Administration, Intranasal↗