Research on nonlinear optical materials: an assessment.

The seven papers making up this assessment are based on the Workshop on Nonlinear Optical Materials held in April 1986.

Immunologic abnormalities in hemodialysis patients: improvement after pyridoxine therapy.

8 male patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis were studied to determine the effect of administering supplements of pyridoxine hydrochloride, 50 mg/day for 3-5 weeks, on tests of immune function. In the 3 patients who initially had abnormal nitroblue tetrazolium reduction tests, the values returned to normal with therapy (p less than 0.05). The generation of chemotactic factors from plasma was defective in all evaluated patients and improved after pyridoxine therapy in 4 of 5 patients (p less than 0.01). The lymphocyte subpopulations changed with a rise in the populations of null cells after supplementation with pyridoxine. In addition, lymphocyte transformation in response to mitogens improved in the 3 patients who initially showed low values in these assays. The improvements occurred with pyridoxine therapy even though some patients who responded had no evidence for vitamin B6 deficiency before therapy, as indicated by a normal erythrocyte glumatic-pyruvic transaminase index. We conclude that several parameters of immune function are improved with pyridoxine supplementation. Studies are necessary to establish the minimum daily intake of pyridoxine which will maintain improved values of these tests of immune function in hemodialysis patients.

Repetitively pulsed mode-locked Nd:phosphate glass laser oscillator-amplifier system.

Performance of a repetitively pulsed mode-locked Nd:glass laser system employing athermal phosphate glass in the oscillator and amplifier stages is described. Improved passive mode-locking characteristics of the oscillator are achieved through use of a l00-microm thick intracavity etalon, enabling reliable generation of transform-limited pulses typically of 5-psec duration. The system produces 1054-nm pulses of high beam quality and ~25-mJ energy at a pulse repetition rate of ~0.2 Hz. Subsequent frequency-doubling steps give conversion efficiencies of ~50% and 25%, respectively.

Inhibition of human bone marrow-granulocyte precursors by serum from patients with Felty's syndrome.

Eight of 19 patients with Felty's syndrome were shown to have a serum factor capable of inhibiting in vitro colony formation by human bone marrow-granulocyte precursors. These data raise the possibility that a serum factor may play a role in the induction of leukopenia in Felty's syndrome.

Susceptibility of isolates of Bacteroides to the bactericidal activity of normal human serum.

Seventy-one strains of species from the Bacteroides fragilis group, including 46 isolates of B. fragilis, were tested for susceptibility to the bactericidal effect of serum from healthy subjects. Twenty-seven (38%) of the isolates were killed by serum. Isolates from feces were significantly more sensitive to serum than were isolates from patients with clinical infections. Killing of bacteria required heat-labile serum components and was an exponential function of serum concentration. Among the various species tested, B. fragilis was clearly the most resistant to bactericidal activity of serum. These observations may be important to the understanding of infections caused by the B. fragilis group, which contains the anaerobes of greatest clinical importance.

Polymorphonuclear neutrophil chemotaxis under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

The motility of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils was studied in vitro under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Chemotactic factors were generated from plasma with immune complexes or with whole bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacteroides fragilis). Chemotaxis induced by chemotactic factors generated from immune complexes was identical under both conditions. However, chemotaxis utilizing chemotactic factors generated from bacteria was markedly depressed under anaerobic conditions. Mean random tubemoltility was not significantly different under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. These data indicate that different metabolic pathways may be involved in polymorphonuclear neutrophil movement. Some of these pathways require oxygen (chemotaxis in response to factors generated by bacteria in plasma), whereas others do not (random tube migration and chemotaxis in response to factors generated by immune complexes in plasma). These observations may be important in the induction of inflammatory responses within hypoxic tissues.

Lymphocytotoxic antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus: evidence for reactivity with i antigen.

Sera from ten patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were tested for lymphocytotoxic antibodies (LCA) before and after absorption with cord and adult erythrocytes at 4 degrees C. Seven of the sera showed a significant reduction in cytotoxicity after absorption with the cord erythrocytes, but minimal or no reduction following absorption with the adult red blood cells. Of the remaining three sera, the cytotoxicity was equally reduced by cord and adult red cells in one and was unaffected by absorption in two. Eluates were prepared from the two sera using cord and adult red blood cells. The cytotoxicity of the cord cell eluates was significantly greater than those of the adult red cell eluates. These data indicate that the LCA in most SLE sera have specificity for the i antigen, which is present on lymphocytes and cord erythrocytes.

Comparison of killing of bacteria by guinea pig neutrophils and monocytes.

Guinea pig polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN's; harvested from the blood and from peritoneal exudates) and monocytes (harvested from the peritoneal cavity with and without stimulation of an exudate) were compared in their capacities to kill three pyogenic bacteria. All combinations of phagocytes and bacteria required heat-labile opsonic factors. No significant differences in killing of the three organisms were observed between blood and peritoneal PMN's or between stimulated and unstimulated monocytes. PMN's killed Staphylococcus aureus more effectively than monocytes after both 1 and 2 hr of incubation (p less than 0.05). Although PMN's appeared to have greater bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli than did monocytes, this differences was significant only after 2 hr of incubation (p less than 0.05). The killing of Bacteroides fragilis by PMN's and monocytes was identical. These data demonstrate that guinea pig exudates provide suitable models for the study of phagocytosis and killing of bacteria and suggest that the relative bactericidal capacities of phagocytes depend not only on the phagocyte but also on the species of pyogenic bacteria being studied. These observations may have important implications in host defense against serious infections.

Third-year summary of IES Arrow-Dot longitudinal comparisons in preschool children.

Three samples of preschool children in a suburban nursery school and kindergarten were administered the IES Arrow-Dot test at the beginning and end of three successive school years. Trends for declining Impulsivity and similar baselines for this variable were found in all three samples. Results for Ego and Superego scores showed variation. These findings support the effective use of this instrument with preschool children. Future investigations within varying educational environments are suggested to delineate further patterns of preschool personality development and integration.

Lymphocyte response to IgG in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and their families.

Lymphocyte responsiveness to IgG was measured by an agarose method in nine patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), one patient with Reiter's Syndrome (RS), and thirty-six of their family members. Similar studies were also performed in five patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and twenty-nine of their first degree relatives as well as in seven control families (twenty-seven subjects). Lymphocytes from the ten spondylitic patients and twenty-four of thirty-six family members responded in vitro to autologous IgG. Although most of these subjects had the histocompatibility antigen, B27, there was no association between B27 and response to IgG. Four of the five patients with RA and twenty of their twenty-nine first degree relatives responded in vitro to IgG, whereas only six of twenty-seven control family members gave a positive reaction. There was no difference in the incidence of antiglobulins (detected by agglutination tests) in the family members of patients with AS and RA or in control family members. These data indicate that lymphocyte responsiveness to IgG is the only aberrant immune response thus far described which is shared by patients with AS and RA and their family members.

The liver and the antigens of hepatitis B.

A decade ago an antigen was identified by immunodiffusion and subsequently proved to be closely associated with hepatitis B virus. Further studies showed that hepatitis B virus circulates as a large particle containing a protein coat and a DNA core, and that excess coat particles are produced and circulate freely. Immunization with surface protein produced protective antibodies, and this led to the development of a prototype vaccine. Patients with hepatitis may develop a variety of extrahepatic manifestations, including polyarteritis, vasculitis, and glomerulonephritis. These associated symptoms may be due to immune complexes consisting of hepatitis B surface antigen and its antibody. The role of cellular immunity in hepatitis B is unknown. The relation between type B virus and the liver is both destructive (leading to severe acute hepatic disease and eventually to cirrhosis) and symbiotic (existing among carriers who have neither liver disease nor symptoms). If the factors that cause these divergent courses were delineated and understood, the results may lead to the prevention and cure of hepatitis B and its sequelae.

IES Arrow-Dot longitudinal comparisons of personality development in preschool children.

19 preschool children were administered the IES Arrow-Dot test at the beginning and end of the school year and results compared with those based on a similar sample gathered the previous year. Trends for declining Impulsivity and Superego development were corroborated. Baselines for Impulsivity and Superego showed variation. Baselines and trends of rising Ego scores were supported. Results suggested suport for developmental trends of personality integration in preschool children.