Three variations in the ELISA procedure were used in an attempt to understand the basis for serological relationships among three isolates of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-RPV-I from Illinois, BYDV-RPV-N from New York and BYDV-PAV from Illinois), beet western yellows virus (BWYV) and soybean dwarf virus (SDV). Detection of serological relationships was dependent on the state of the virus particle (e.g. dissociated or intact) and the method of detection (e.g. direct or indirect). In indirect ELISA, where virus particles were dissociated due to incubation in a high pH buffer, all five virus isolates were serologically related. In double antibody sandwich (DAS) ELISA, identification of serological relationships was based on detection of epitopes associated with intact virus particles, which resulted the detection of fewer serological relationships. Direct ELISA showed, depending on the Ig, that the state of the virus particle and/or the method of detection did effect the ability to detect some serological relationships.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

In search of sterile, endotoxin-free dialysate.

Sterile dialysate, free of endotoxin (ET) and other cytokine inducing factors, will probably become a future standard. High-flux dialysis with bicarbonate and reuse has the membrane, the pressures, and bacteriologic potential for ET fragments to pass from dialysate to the blood side of the membrane with activation of monocytes and production of cytokines. Ultrafiltration through polysulfone filters has been shown to remove bacteria, ET, and its fragments and other cytotoxic inducing factors. The authors found that in spite of sterile, ET-free, reverse osmosis (RO) water, ET was usually present at the dialyzer inlet and arose from the RO storage tank water with bacteria < 30 CFU/ml, in spite of repeated disinfection. The authors now remove bacteria, ET, and fragments from RO tank water with a 5 mu cellulose filter followed by ultrafiltration with a Fresenius F-80 polysulfone dialyzer inserted between the wall RO delivery port and each delivery system. At the dialyzer inlet, monthly bacterial counts were < 30 cfu/ml, and ET values (n = 38) were not detectable in 89% and < 0.5 EU/ml in 11%. The F-80 filters were used for 180+ dialyses along with the 5 mu filters, which replaced the frequently endotoxin contaminated 10 mu filters in the Monitral-S delivery systems. The costs did not increase.

Colony Count, Microbial↗

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Acute adrenal insufficiency in the patient with burns.

Acute adrenal insufficiency is an uncommon but devastating complication of severe burn injury. The diagnosis is rarely made antemortem. Acute, fatal, adrenal insufficiency developed in three patients among 807 critically ill patients with burns treated at this institution during the past 6 years. Thermal injuries elevate corticosteroid secretion for weeks after injury, severely stressing the adrenal glands. Overload of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is thought to make this system unusually vulnerable to acute infarction. Although the actual mechanism of adrenal hemorrhage is not clear, the combination of excessive adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation and hemodynamic instability have been implicated in its evolution. Survival may be too short for characteristic Addisonian metabolic changes to develop. Acute adrenal insufficiency is a rare event that is historically associated with meningococcemia, although any life-threatening illness may precipitate this catastrophe. Therefore, when a sudden deterioration in the patient with thermal injuries is encountered, adrenal insufficiency must be considered.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cervical cytological screening in HIV-infected women in Dublin--a six-year review.

A retrospective study of the results of cervical cytological screening of HIV-infected women attending an inner city ambulatory HIV clinic over a 6-year period between 1987 and 1992 was carried out. During this time a total of 165 HIV-infected women attended for management of their HIV disease. The results of cervical cytological specimens (smears) were available in 136 (82.4%) women. The risk categories for HIV infection of these 136 women were intravenous drug use 110 (80.9%), heterosexual sex 24 (17.6%) and undetermined 2 (1.5%). Eighty-five (62.5%) of the 136 women were classified CDC group 2, 30 (22%) CDC group 3, and 21 (15.5%) CDC group 4 at the time of initial cytological screening. Forty-one (30.1%) women had mild dysplasia/CIN 1, 21 (15.4%) had moderate dysplasia/CIN 2 and 17 (12.5%) had severe dysplasia/CIN 3. The overall prevalence of dysplasia/CIN was 58.1%. Twenty-seven (34.2%) of the women with dysplasia/CIN had cytological evidence of human papillomavirus infection. No association between the clinical stage of HIV disease and the presence or degree of dysplasia/CIN was demonstrated. Women with cytological evidence of CIN were significantly more likely to have had genital warts than those with no evidence of CIN (OR 3.1, CI 1.1-10). In those women with cervical dysplasia who underwent colposcopic examination, CIN was confirmed in a high proportion of cases. The default rate from colposcopy, however, was high (35.4%).

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nickel increases susceptibility of a nickel hyperaccumulator to Turnip mosaic virus.

Hyperaccumulated Ni can defend plant tissues against herbivores and pathogens. The effectiveness of this defense, however, has not been tested with a viral pathogen. Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) accumulation was studied in two serpentine species of Streptanthus with different Ni uptake abilities. Plants of a Ni hyperaccumulator, milk-wort jewelflower (S. polygaloides Gray), and a non-hyperaccumulator, plumed jewelflower (S. insignis Jepson), were grown on Ni-amended and unamended soils. Plants were inoculated with TuMV at three different phenological stages: basal rosette, bolting, and flowering. Susceptibility of experimental plants to TuMV was determined either by the magnitude of TuMV accumulation (measured by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) or by plant survival. Streptanthus polygaloides plants grown on high-Ni soil were more susceptible to TuMV than low-Ni S. polygaloides at all three phenological stages. All rosette and pre-bolt S. insignis plants were infected by TuMV, but survival and TuMV accumulation were not significantly affected by soil Ni. At flowering, only high-Ni S. polygaloides plants became infected. For S. polygaloides, elevated tissue Ni concentrations enhanced TuMV infection instead of defending plants from the virus. To reduce risks to nearby agricultural crops, future phytoremed. iation and phytomining operations using this species should incorporate management plans to prevent the creation of artificial reservoirs of TuMV inoculum.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMedDate not supplied