Spigelian hernias: a prospective analysis of baseline parameters and surgical outcome of 34 consecutive patients

Most of the papers published on spigelian hernia are either case reports or small retrospective series. In this prospective multicenter study, we aimed to outline the specific features of spigelian hernias and patients’ characteristics more clearly. Surgeons enrolled patients to be entered into the database as they diagnosed and treated the hernias at will. The baseline and surgical outcome parameters were noted in each patient. A painful mass was the main presenting complaint in half of 34 patients. Accurate preoperative diagnosis was possible in 31 patients. Open intraperitoneal mesh repair was the preferred technique. The mean hospital stay and time until return to normal daily activities were 4.1 and 15.6 days. Although a rare condition, diagnosis of a spigelian hernia is not difficult once remembered. Its surgical repair seems to cause few complications and is very well tolerated by the patient.     

Elimination of malignant clonogenic cells from human bone marrow using multiple myeloid cell-specific monoclonal antibodies and complement.

Single or combined monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) Zh53, Zh820, and Zh2-1 have been used to eliminate malignant clonogenic cells from human bone marrow. The test of cytotoxicity showed that all of these McAbs could express high specific cytotoxic action against HL-60 cells and were selectively complement-dependent cytotoxic to various types of fresh leukemic cells. Clonogenic assay detected that single treatment with antibody and rabbit complement (RC) could reduce clonogenic units of HL-60 cells by more than 2 logs and two treatments reduced clonogenic units by more than 4 logs. However, combination of 2 McAbs could reduce clonogenic units by 4-5 logs. The data suggest that multiple treatments with McAbs and RC or a combination of 2 McAbs are more effective than a single treatment in eliminating clonogenic tumor cells. Treatment of normal human bone marrow with Zh53, Zh2-1 and RC did not produce a loss of normal CFU-GM, but treatment with Zh820 reduced the clonic units of normal CFU-GM by 24%.

     

Treatment of severe diarrhoeal dehydration in hospital and home by oral fluids

This paper reports on 1330 infants, from birth to 24 months old, suffering from diarrhoea and moderate to severe dehydration who were hospitalized in Tehran University Hospital over a period of 11 months. Fifteen per cent of them had signs of shock and 36% had marasmus. All patients were treated orally in two phases: rehydration therapy and maintenance therapy. For rehydration, an isotonic fluid (sodium 80 mmol l-1, potassium 20 mmol l-1) was administered at a rate of 40 ml kg-1 h-1 until all signs of dehydration disappeared. Following complete hydration, the patients were discharged and maintenance therapy was performed at home, by mothers, administering Maintenance Solution (sodium 40 mmol l-1, potassium 30 mmol l-1) ad libitum. Intravenous fluids were not used, even in severe dehydration. The efficacy and safety of this regimen were confirmed by rapid and successful rehydration in 99.7% of the patients and correction of a wide variety of electrolyte abnormalities present on admission, though some relapsed. The study suggests that this protocol could be employed in varied types and severities of dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities, and could also be used in both well nourished infants and in those with severe marasmus. It also demonstrates that mothers can serve as effective health workers and can perform successful maintenance therapy. Nine per cent of treated children required readmission to hospital within 24 h of discharge and a further 8% were hospitalized elsewhere with recurrent symptoms.     

NEUROTROPIN IMMUNOSTIMULATING ACTION ON IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS

Neurotropin (NSP) is an extract isolated from the skin of rabbits inoculated with vaccinia virus. The present study examines the possible action of NSP on the number and function of immunocompe tent cells in mice. The experiment showed that NSP had no effect on both T and B lymphocytes of nor- malimmunized mouse spleen. The degree of plaque forming cell reaction and titre of specific antibody showed no significant differences when the NSP treated group and controls were compared. How- ever, NSP exhibited promotive effect on specific antigen binding cells in the early stage of immune responses. It was also noted that the rosette forming capacity of human T lymphocytes in vitro was restor- ed markedly by NSP. These results suggest that NSP possesses certain immunostimulating activity, particularly on the specific antigen binding cells and human T lymphocytes.     

T cells specific for alpha-beta interface regions of hemoglobin recognize the isolated subunit but not the tetramer and indicate presentation without processing.

Processing of a protein antigen into fragments is believed to be a prerequisite for its presentation by the antigen-presenting cell to the T cell. This model would predict that, in oligomeric proteins, T cells prepared with specificity for regions that are buried within subunit association surfaces should recognize the respective regions in vitro equally well on the isolated subunit or on the oligomer. Three hemoglobin (Hb) alpha-chain synthetic peptides, corresponding to areas that are situated either completely [alpha-(31-45)] or partially [alpha-(41-45) and alpha-(81-95)] within the interface between the alpha and beta subunits of Hb, and a fourth peptide representing a completely exposed area in tetrameric Hb were used as immunogens in SJL/J (H-2s) mice. Peptide-primed T cells were passaged in vitro with the respective peptide to obtain peptide-specific T-lymphocyte lines. T-cell clones were isolated from these lines by limiting dilution. T-cell lines and clones that were specific for buried regions in the subunit association surfaces recognized the free peptide and the isolated subunit but not the Hb tetramer. On the other hand, T cells with specificity against regions that are not involved in subunit interaction and are completely exposed in the tetramer recognized the peptide, the isolated subunit, and the oligomeric protein equally well. The responses of the T-cell lines and clones were major histocompatibility complex-restricted. Since the same x-irradiated antigen-presenting cells were employed, the results could not be attributed to differences or defects in Hb processing. The findings indicate that in vitro the native (unprocessed and undissociated) oligomeric protein was the trigger of major histocompatibility complex-restricted T-cell responses.