ABSTRACT
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) facilitates the movement of lymphatic fluid and may enhance the immunologic response to infection or injected antigen. In this investigation, two groups of volunteers were vaccinated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, given at 0, 5, and 25 weeks. The experimental group (n = 20) received OMT (lymphatic and splenic pump) three times per week for 2 weeks after each vaccination. Control subjects (n = 19) received vaccine but no OMT. Resultant serum antibody levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Fifty percent of subjects in the treatment group achieved protective antibody titers (> or = 10 mIU/mL) on the 13th week with an average titer of 374 mIU/mL. Only 16% of the control subjects had positive antibody responses, with average titers of 96 mIU/mL. At all time points from week 6 on, the average anti-hepatitis B titer was higher in the treatment group than in the control group. These data suggest an enhanced immunologic response in subjects who received OMT.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis B Antibodies/immunology , Hepatitis B Vaccines , Hepatitis B/prevention & control , Manipulation, Orthopedic , Vaccines, Synthetic , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Hepatitis B Vaccines/immunology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Vaccines, Synthetic/immunologyABSTRACT
The use of effective instructional strategies in small groups was investigated to determine learning effects for 24 elementary age students with autism and developmental disabilities. Effective strategies included (a) the use of choral responding; (b) the use of student-to-student responding; (c) the rotation of materials every 5 minutes during the 30-minute group while teaching 2 to 3 concepts; and (d) the use of random, unpredictable trials for student responding. Thirty-minute language groups were targeted to teach receptive and expressive skills using pictures and common objects across five categories (e.g., household items, foods). Results showed increased opportunities to respond, increased levels of responding and academic engagement, higher gains on weekly criterion-referenced pre- and posttests, and decreased passive and inappropriate student behavior during interventions.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/therapy , Education of Intellectually Disabled/methods , Group Processes , Intellectual Disability/therapy , Activities of Daily Living/psychology , Autistic Disorder/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Curriculum , Female , Humans , Intellectual Disability/psychology , Intelligence , Language Development Disorders/psychology , Language Development Disorders/therapy , Male , Mental Recall , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
We investigated the use of social skills groups to facilitate increased social interactions for students with autism and their nonhandicapped peers in an integrated first-grade classroom. Social skills groups consisted of training students and peers in initiating, responding, and keeping interactions going; greeting others and conversing on a variety of topics; giving and accepting compliments; taking turns and sharing; asking for help and helping others; and including others in activities. Training occurred during the first 10 min of 20-min play groups, four times per week. Using a multiple baseline across subjects design, results demonstrated increases in the frequency of, time engaged in, and duration of social interactions, as well as the responsivity of students and peers to each other. Results were maintained when students were monitored and given feedback on social performance in play groups and during follow-up.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/therapy , Behavior Therapy/methods , Education, Special/methods , Mainstreaming, Education , Peer Group , Social Behavior , Autistic Disorder/psychology , Child , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Social Adjustment , Social EnvironmentABSTRACT
Serologic procedures were performed in parallel using hydrophilized polystyrene cuvettes and conventional glass test tubes. Consistent and comparable results were obtained with both containers. No significant differences in antibody titer, specificity, neutralization, or elution were observed. The effect of a proteolytic enzyme on red blood cell antigen was not altered by the hydrophilized plastic tubes. There was no difference in the stability of immune sera stored in glass or plastic at 4 degrees C and--30 degrees C. However, hemolysis of stored red blood cells was significantly slower in the hydrophilized plastic cuvettes.
Subject(s)
Borates , Polystyrenes , Serology/instrumentation , Agglutinins/analysis , Antibody Specificity , Borates/standards , Epitopes , Equipment and Supplies/standards , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Glass/standards , Humans , Immune Sera/immunology , Polystyrenes/standardsABSTRACT
A patient with sickle cell disease who concomitantly developed red cell autoimmunity and alloimmunization is reported. The implied but 'wrong' specificity of the autoantibody mimicked one of the alloantibodies in the patient's serum. Although the patient's red blood cells phenotyped at Ro4, anti-rh" was eluted from them on several occasions. Absorption and secondary elution from selected cells proved the cell bound antibody had a unique and independent specificity from the anti-rh" in his serum. Standard antibody identification procedures did not distinguish these differences.
Subject(s)
Antibody Specificity , Autoantibodies/biosynthesis , Transfusion Reaction , Anemia, Sickle Cell/immunology , Anemia, Sickle Cell/therapy , Child , Humans , Isoantibodies/biosynthesis , Lewis Blood Group Antigens/immunology , Male , Phenotype , Receptors, Immunologic , Rh-Hr Blood-Group System/immunologyABSTRACT
The production, function, and use of a new antiglobulin control cell is described. The cells are sensitized with monovalent Fab (fragment, antigen-binding) fragments and can be agglutinated by active antiglobulin serum only. In contrast to commercial antiglobulin control cells, which are frequently associated with false-positive results, the reactivity of the Fab-sensitized cells is entirely specific. It is concluded that Fab-sensitized cells provide greater quality assurance than currently available reagents.
Subject(s)
Coombs Test , Erythrocytes , Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments , Blood Group Incompatibility/etiology , False Positive Reactions , Hemagglutination Tests , Humans , Immunoglobulin G , Osmolar Concentration , Quality ControlABSTRACT
A simple, effective method for removing granulocytes from stored blood is described. Microaggregate filtration removes approximately 95% of the granulocytes from blood which has been stored for 2 weeks, centrifuged and filtered. The mean number of remaining leukocytes is 8 +/- 3.7 x 10(8)/unit. The residual white cell population, which is composed almost entirely of lymphocytes, is substantially less than the average number of cells previously associated with febrile reactions. 45 patients were selected for the study. All had significant febrile transfusion reaction histories, and averaged one reaction for every 3.6 U of conventional red cell product transfused. Administration of 212 units of microaggregate filtered granulocyte poor red cells caused a 95% reduction in the incidence of fibrile reactions. The technique is inexpensive, easily incorporated into the routine of the clinical blood bank, and does not require "open-system' processing. These considerations make microaggregate filtration a logical first choice method for the preparation of granulocyte-poor red blood cells.
