Morphologic and biochemical variability of tissue and cultured cells from human pheochromocytoma

Primary cell cultures from 18 human pheochromocytomas were maintained in culture for 10 to 12 days and characterized. The cell yields ranged from 1.0 to 60.1 × 10 6 cells/g wet weight of tissue. Cell size, as determined by histofluorescent microscopy, varied as much as seven-fold among cells derived from a given tumor and ten-fold between cells from all tumors. Cell catecholamine content, norepinephrine (NE) plus epinephrine, ranged from 0.4 to 89.5 nmol/10 6 cells at day 5 in culture and did not correlate with catecholamine content of the tissue from which the cells were obtained. Cell catecholamine content decreased with time in culture, but this decrease could not be related to a change in cell viability, the type of media used, an inability to convert dopamine to NE, or an alteration in the uptake of 3 H-NE. Cellular uptake of 1.0 ΜM 3 H-NE varied as much as 230-fold between all cell dispersions. The basal and acetylcholine stimulated release of both preloaded 3 H-NE and the endogenous catecholamines was quite variable. There was no correlation between the release rate, either basal or stimulated, of preloaded 3 H-NE and the endogenous catecholamines. This study represents the largest existing data base on culturing cells from these tumors and describes many of the morphologic and biochemical characteristics of this cell system.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/49875/1/1041280218_ftp.pd

A Preliminary List of Pipunculidae (Diptera) of Iowa

The big-headed flies, as these small insects are commonly called, are easily recognized by their very large, almost spherical head. They are small black flies four to five mm. long with wings two to three mm. longer than the abdomen. The basal cells are elongate; the anal cell reaches almost to the wing margin and is rarely incomplete. The apical cell is narrowed at the tip, but is never closed. There are three posterior cells with complete veination in all the genera except Chalarus Walker

A Preliminary List of the Haliplidae Known to Occur in Iowa

The family of Coleoptera known as Haliplidae or the Crawling Water Beetles includes small sized beetles that may be readily recognized by the oval shape and the ten segmented filiform antennae. They are usually light brown or yellow, spotted with black, in color. The elytra have rows of punctures and are widest near the front

Ethical challenges in palliative sedation of adults: protocol for a systematic review of current clinical practice guidelines.

This study aims to identify the full spectrum of ethical challenges of all forms of palliative sedation for adults as presented in current clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and to determine whether CPGs specify ethical challenges of this therapy for patients with cancer and non-cancer and, if so, how exactly they do this. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have yet investigated this topic. The purpose is purely descriptive; our aim is not to make any kind of normative judgements on these challenges. Nor is our aim to assess the quality of the CPGs. We will perform a systematic review of CPGs on palliative sedation for adults via five electronic databases, grey literature search tools, citation tracking and contact with palliative care experts. Current CPGs accredited by an international, national or regional authority, published in English, German, French, Italian or Polish, from 2000 to the date of the search, will be subjected to content analysis at the textual, linguistic and thematic levels. This is a protocol for a systematic review and no human will be involved in this research. Therefore, ethics approval and consent to participate are not applicable to this context. This study protocol is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for Protocols criteria and registered on PROSPERO. Moreover, the integral version of this study protocol is published as a preprint on Research Square. The results of this study will be actively disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and books, international, national and local conference presentations, social media and media in general

Vibration-induced granular segregation: a phenomenon driven by three mechanisms

The segregation of large spheres in a granular bed under vertical vibrations is studied. In our experiments we systematically measure rise times as a function of density, diameter and depth; for two different sinusoidal excitations. The measurements reveal that: at low frequencies, inertia and convection are the only mechanisms behind segregation. Inertia (convection) dominates when the relative density is greater (less) than one. At high frequencies, where convection is suppressed, fluidization of the granular bed causes either buoyancy or sinkage and segregation occurs.Comment: 4 pages. 3 figures, revtex4, to appear in PRL (in press

Anti-CD4 Induced Transplantation Tolerance in the Rat: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms

Anti-CD4 induced transplant tolerance in the rat: molecular and cellular mechanisms Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) directed against the Cluster of Differentiation (CD)4 molecule, expressed on the surface of T helper cells, are a potentially important tool for manipulating the in vivo immune response to a tissue or organ allograft. In rodent models of organ transplantation, administration of anti-CD4 mAb prolongs allograft survival and may even induce permanent transplant tolerance. However, clinical application of anti-CD4 mAb requires a better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which anti-CD4 mAb promotes graft survival. Early mechanisms may include CD4 T cell depletion and impairment of residual CD4 T cell function by blocking interaction of CD4 with Class II Major Histocompatibility (MHC) antigen or disrupting T cell signalling pathways. The experiments described in this thesis were undertaken to provide new insight into how one particular anti-CD4 mAb, (Medical Research Council (MRC) Oxford University Cellular Immunology Unit (0X)38), prolongs graft survival in a rat model of cardiac transplantation. Initial studies showed that 0X38, a mouse Immunoglobulin G (IgG)2a mAb, which binds to the membrane distal domain of rat CD4, when given as a brief treatment preoperatively, was able to prolong survival of fully allogeneic Lewis (RTla) heterotopic cardiac grafts in DA (RTl1) recipients (Median Graft Survival Time (MST) >100 days). Moreover, recipients bearing long-standing heart grafts developed specific tolerance to donor alloantigen since they accepted a second donor graft but rejected third party grafts. Tolerance induction following 0X38 mAb was associated with partial depletion (approximately 50%) of peripheral CD4 T cells. Initially, residual CD4 T cells were shown on the basis of phenotype, to consist of predominantly Recent Thymic Emigrant (RTE) (CD4+ve CD45RClow Thy-1high), but over several weeks, peripheral CD4 T cell numbers recovered to near normal levels. Non-rejecting heart grafts in OX38 mAb treated recipients were heavily infiltrated with mononuclear cells, including numerous CD4 cells. Analysis of intragraft cytokine messenger Ribonucleic Acid (mRNA) transcripts by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) revealed the presence of both T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine mRNA in non-rejecting grafts with a pattern similar to that seen during unmodified rejection. Moreover, measurement of alloantibody isotypes in OX38 mAb treated animals did not support the view that anti-CD4 induced tolerance was attributable to a dominant Th2 cytokine response. Residual CD4 T cells, following anti-CD4 mAb treatment, remained only transiently (2 days) coated with OX38 mAb. Encounter of CD4 T cells with alloantigen whilst they were still coated with mAb was not essential for tolerance induction. A small 'window of opportunity' was detected (up to 4 days following mAb treatment) during which cardiac transplantation failed to trigger allograft rejection. CD4+ve T cells obtained from OX38 mAb treated animals during this 'window of opportunity', showed altered tyrosine phosphorylation of a 36-38 KILO DALTON (kDa) protein on subsequent activation in vitro with immobilised anti-T CELL RECEPTOR (TCR) mAb when compared with anti-TCR activated, untreated CD4 T cells. The altered phosphorylation pattern of in vivo OX38 mAb treated cells was similar to that seen in naive CD4 T cells activated with anti-TCR after in vitro OX38 treatment. In addition, the pattern of phosphorylation observed in anti-CD4 treated cells was similar to that previously described in anergic CD4 T cells, suggesting that OX38 mAb treated cells may be functionally anergic. An unexpected role for the thymus in OX38 mAb induced transplantation tolerance was identified. Anti-CD4 mAb treated recipients which had undergone thymectomy several weeks prior to transplantation, rapidly rejected their heart grafts, despite OX38 therapy. This observation suggested that CD4 T cell depletion alone was not, in itself, sufficient to prevent allograft rejection and that a product from the thymus was necessary. A role for RTE in anti-CD4 mAb induced transplantation tolerance was indirectly explored in experiments using immunopurified single positive (CD4+ve alphabetaTCR+ve) thymocytes and Lymph NODE Cells (LNC). In reconstitution experiments using thymectomised anti-CD4 treated animals, adoptive transfer of purified single positive thymocytes on days 2 and 4 after heart grafting, restored the ability of OX38 mAb to prolong allograft survival in thymectomised animals. Furthermore, in anti- TCR proliferation assays, single positive thymocytes were less affected by in vitro OX38 mAb treatment than single positive LNC and were found to produce both Th1 and Th2 cytokine mRNA. A possible interpretation of these findings, is that in this experimental model, RTE may be analogous to naive T helper 0 (Th0) T cells and may have an essential role in tolerance induction. By adding to current understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of anti-CD4 induced transplantation tolerance, the above observations may provide a more rational basis from which to further develop strategies for using anti-CD4 mAb in clinical transplantation

A Preliminary List of Some Families of Iowa Insects

For some ten years the Iowa Insect Survey has been collecting specimens and data from all parts of this state in a study of the geographic and seasonal distribution of the insects of Iowa. Comparatively little has been done heretofore with most of the families of the Hymenoptera and the Diptera of Iowa. With the hope of stimulating a more general interest in these groups, preliminary lists of the species now known to occur within the state are being submitted. Students in systematic Entomology in the college have taken a family and given it special attention in their collecting for one or more years. These students have collaborated with the senior author in the preparation of this paper. The name of the student thus taking the responsibility of getting a list for a family in shape is printed at the head of the list. Determinations throughout the list have been made or checked by specialists as indicated for each group. Assistance given by the Iowa Academy of Science and the State University of Iowa has helped materially in keeping the Survey going

Análise e melhoria de processo do Serviço de Atendimento ao Cidadão (SAC) da Embrapa Florestas.

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