Biomedical subjects
M Hopkins
Publications and source records attributed to M Hopkins.
A mother's experiences of modern paediatrics.
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The neurodevelopmental approach in early physical intervention for motor delay and cerebral palsy.
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Standardisation of glutaraldehyde-modified tyrosine-adsorbed tree pollen vaccines containing the Th1-inducing adjuvant, monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL).
BACKGROUND: a new range of allergy vaccines has been developed by the introduction of a relatively new Th1-inducing adjuvant known as 3-deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL). MPL adjuvant is of natural origin, derived from the lipopolysaccharide of Salmonella minnesota R595. This adjuvant is incorporated in a glutaraldehyde-modified pollen extract adsorbed to L-tyrosine (Pollinex Quattro). A major potential benefit provided by MPL adjuvant is the promotion of a Th1 response which enhances the efficacy of allergy vaccination and can consequently allow a reduction in the number of injections required for treatment. The standardisation of Pollinex Quattro tree pollen allergy vaccine is described and we include details of some innovative analytical procedures. METHODS AND RESULTS: an essential feature of the analytical strategy is the assay of the MPL adjuvant using a recently developed HPLC technique. The adjuvant has a complex chemical structure and the analysis is illustrated in detail. We give a full picture of the vaccine standardisation by describing biochemical and immunological characterisation of the allergen extract, together with some brief manufacturing details. CONCLUSIONS: a high overall level of standardisation is illustrated by a number of different tests applied to all stages of vaccine manufacture. Tree pollen allergen potency is measured following the pollen extraction, chemical modification and formulation as a tyrosine adsorbate. Good batch-to-batch reproducibility is shown. The HPLC assay for MPL adjuvant showed high quality resolution which did not vary when measuring raw material or when incorporated in the vaccine and the technically complex assay is shown to be reliable.
Subacute care: which patients benefit?
The decision about appropriate referral of patients to a subacute care unit is the key to both continuity of care and the financial viability of a hospital's subacute care unit. Patient selection, subacute care admission criteria, patient education, and financial concerns are discussed.
Cytologic features of ovarian tumors of low malignant potential in peritoneal fluids.
The distinction of ovarian tumors of low malignant potential (OTLMP) from invasive ovarian carcinomas has significant therapeutic and prognostic implications. This study was undertaken to define the cytologic features of OTLMP in peritoneal fluids and to compare them with the cytologic features of invasive carcinomas. Peritoneal fluids from 13 patients with OTLMP and 10 patients with invasive ovarian carcinoma contained neoplastic cells and were reviewed with attention to papillary fragment morphology, cellular pleomorphism and cytoplasmic and nuclear characteristics. Cytologic preparations from patients with OTLMP contained large, cohesive papillary fragments with smooth borders. The neoplastic cells were relatively small and uniform, with high nuclear-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratios (greater than 1:2), few intracytoplasmic vacuoles and inconspicuous nucleoli. Mitotic figures were rare. Peritoneal fluids from patients with invasive ovarian carcinoma contained smaller discohesive papillary fragments with irregular borders. The neoplastic cells were relatively large and pleomorphic, with low N/C ratios (less than or equal to 1:2), abundant intracytoplasmic vacuoles and prominent nucleoli; most preparations contained many single cells and mitotic figures.
[Frequency of lower molecular proteins in the urine].
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HLA-Dr negative acute non-lymphocytic leukemia.
Absent or diminished HLA-Dr antigen representation on the cell surface of both normal and leukemic promyelocytes is a hallmark of this stage of myeloid maturation. In order to document the specificity of this finding for acute promyelocytic leukemia, flow cytometric analysis of leukemic blasts was utilized on 36 cases of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia. All 15 of the promyelocytic leukemias (FAB-M3) studied showed absent or markedly decreased HLA-Dr antigen on their cell surface. However, the majority of cases (21) in which this finding was noted were other than promyelocytic leukemias and included all FAB subtypes, most particularly FAB-M2, i.e., myeloblastic leukemia with maturation. It is concluded that absent to decreased HLA-Dr antigen representation on leukemic blasts lacks specificity and can be seen in all acute myeloid/monocytic leukemic subtypes.