Immunological markers in adult patients with epilepsy

Abstract Increased prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and changes in serum immunoglobulin concentrations have been reported in patients with epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of aCL, ANA, anti-B2 glycoprotein I -antibodies (anti-B2-GPI), antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA), immunoglobulin A, G and M serum concentrations and the presence of IgA and IgG class antigliadin antibodies (AGAbA and AGAbG), transglutaminase antibodies (tTGAbA) and antiendomysial antibodies (EMA) in a cohort of 1386 adult patients treated for epilepsy in the Oulu University Central Hospital during the years 1996–7 and in a reference population obtained from the Population Register Centre and matched for age, gender and municipality of residence. The effects of co-morbidity, medications, age, gender and different epilepsy attributes on the occurrence of the immunological parameters studied as well as the possible interrelations of these parameters were studied. There was no difference in the presence of aCL or ANA between the patients and the reference subjects. In patients, aCL were associated with long duration of epilepsy and poor seizure control. Low IgA serum concentrations were more common in patients with epilepsy, particularly those using phenytoin. Unspecific AMA were more common among the epilepsy patients. The prevalence of coeliac disease (CD)-related antibodies was similar in patients with epilepsy and in the reference population. AGAbA were associated with primary generalised epilepsy. No significant interrelations between the immunological markers were found. These findings suggest that patients with epilepsy do not have an increased prevalence of autoantibodies as a result of their disease. Various factors such as genetic traits and epilepsy attributes may independently affect the presence of each individual immunological marker

The Effect of Wood Properties Upon Micropropagation Efficiency in Hybrid Aspen Clones

The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are any correlations between fibre or chemical traits and micropropagation efficiency of aspen hybrids (Populus. tremula L. x Populus tremuloides Michx.). Five wood characters relating to paper quality and three traits to micropropagation were recorded on 24 hybrid aspen clones. The multiplication rate varied from 11-27 shoots per jar. The rooting percentage in vitrovaried from 62%-97% (42%-91% in ex vitro). For micropropagation, there were significant correlations between rooting percentage in vitro and ex vitro (r = 0.55**) and between multiplication rate and rooting percentage ex vitro (r = 0.49*). Overall, however, the results of micropropagation and observation on wood characters over 24 clones indicated that these two sets of characters are not correlated with one another. It appears that wood characters have not affected micropropagation rate or rooting percentage in vitro or ex vitro

The effect of wood properties upon micropropagation efficiency in hybrid aspen clones

The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are any correlations between fibre or chemical traits and micropropagation efficiency of aspen hybrids (Populus. tremula L. x Populus tremuloides Michx.). Five wood characters relating to paper quality and three traits to micropropagation were recorded on 24 hybrid aspen clones. The multiplication rate varied from 11-27 shoots per jar. The rooting percentage in vitrovaried from 62%-97% (42%-91% in ex vitro). For micropropagation, there were significant correlations between rooting percentage in vitro and ex vitro (r = 0.55**) and between multiplication rate and rooting percentage ex vitro (r = 0.49*). Overall, however, the results of micropropagation and observation on wood characters over 24 clones indicated that these two sets of characters are not correlated with one another. It appears that wood characters have not affected micropropagation rate or rooting percentage in vitro or ex vitro