[Human dynamic response to landing impact in selected body orientations].

Objective. To study changes of human dynamic response to landing impact in selected body orientations. Method. Five healthy young men were exposed to 10 G, 50 ms half-sine acceleration pulses. The angle included between human head-ilium axis and impact force direction was 30 degrees-70 degrees. The acceleration responses at head, shoulder, chest and ilium of the subjects were recorded along head-ilium and chest-back directions. Result. Within limits of the experiments, the minimum peak response at the head along head-ilium direction was 10.36 +/- 2.44 G at 50 degrees, and the maximum was 18.07 +/- 3.29 G at 70 degrees. The minimum peak response at the chest along head-ilium direction was 10.39 +/- 3.97 G at 70 degrees, and the maximum was 15.42 +/- 3.61 G at 60 degrees. The minimum peak response at the head along chest-back direction was 7.58 +/- 1.18 G at 30 degrees, and the maximum was 18.89 +/- 1.85 G at 70 degrees. The minimum peak response at the chest along chest-back direction was 7.21 +/- 1.99 G at 30 degrees, and the maximum was 17.67 +/- 2.16 G at 70 degrees. Conclusion. It was inferred that the best body orientation angle for landing impact might be 50 degrees.

Preparation, characterization, and immunogenicity of conjugates composed of the O-specific polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Shiga's bacillus) bound to tetanus toxoid.

The background for developing conjugate vaccines for shigellosis composed of the O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) bound to a protein is described elsewhere (C. Y. Chu, R. Schneerson, and J. B. Robbins, submitted for publication). Briefly, there is direct evidence for type (lipopolysaccharide [LPS])-specific protection after infection with the wild type or with attenuated strains of shigellae. Prospective studies of Israeli armed forces recruits show a correlation between preexisting serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) LPS antibodies and resistance to shigellosis (D. Cohen, M. S. Green, C. Block, R. Slephon, and I. Ofek, J. Clin. Microbiol. 29:386-389, 1991). In order to elicit IgG LPS-specific antibodies to Shigella dysenteriae type 1, the O-SP of this pathogen was purified and bound to tetanus toxoid (TT) by three schemes. The most immunogenic used a modification of a published method (C. Y. Chu, R. Schneerson, J. B. Robbins, and S. C. Rastogi, Infect. Immun. 40:245-256, 1983). The resultant O-SP-TT conjugates were stable and elicited high levels of IgG O-SP antibodies and booster responses in young mice when injected subcutaneously in saline at 1/10 the proposed human dose. Adsorption onto alum or concurrent administration with monophosphoryl lipid A enhanced both the IgG and IgM antibody responses to the O-SP of the conjugate; both the nonadsorbed and adsorbed conjugates elicited higher rises of IgG than of IgM antibodies. Clinical evaluations of S. dysenteriae type 1 O-SP-TT conjugates are planned.

[Pulmonary surfactant and lower airway function].

The effect of pulmonary surfactant on small airway function was evaluated in 32 patients undergoing lobectomy or pneumonectomy due to local lung diseases. Surfactant of lung tissue obtained from the surgical specimens and airway lining surfactant obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage were measured. Before surgery, small airway function testing including CV/VC, CC/TLC, delta N2/L,V50 and V25 were measured in each patient. They were then divided into two groups: group I with normal function and group II abnormal function. The results showed that pulmonary surfactant in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was statistically less in group II than in group I, whereas that in the lung tissue had no significantly difference between the two groups. It is therefore conceivable that the decrease of small airway function, besides as a result of its structure or pathologic abnormalities, could be due to the decrease in airway surfactant as well.