Search

Anti‐platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin immune complexes that cause heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) activate complement via the classical pathway. Previous studies have shown that the alternative pathway of complement substantially amplifies the classical pathway of complement activation through the C3b feedback cycle. These studies sought to examine the contributions of the alternative pathway to complement activation by HIT antibodies. Using IgG monoclonal (KKO) and/or patient‐derived HIT antibodies, we compared the effects of classical pathway (BBK32 and C1‐esterase inhibitor [C1‐INH]), alternative pathway (anti‐factor B [fB] or factor D [fD] inhibitor) or combined classical and alternative pathway inhibition (soluble complement receptor 1 [sCR1]) in whole blood or plasma. Classical pathway inhibitors BBK32 and C1‐INH and the combined classical/alternative pathway inhibitor sCR1 prevented KKO/HIT immune complex–induced complement activation, including release of C3 and C5 activation products, binding of immune complexes to B cells, and neutrophil activation. The alternative pathway inhibitors fB and fD, however, did not affect complement activation by KKO/HIT immune complexes. Similarly, alternative pathway inhibition had no effect on complement activation by unrelated immune complexes consisting of anti‐dinitrophenyl (DNP) antibody and the multivalent DNP‐‐keyhole limpet hemocyanin antigen. Collectively, these findings suggest the alternative pathway contributes little in support of complement activation by HIT immune complexes. Additional in vitroand in vivostudies are required to examine if this property is shared by most IgG‐containing immune complexes or if predominance of the classic pathway is limited to immune complexes composed of multivalent antigens.

Anti‐platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin immune complexes that cause heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) activate complement via the classical pathway. Previous studies have shown that the alternative pathway of complement substantially amplifies the classical pathway of complement activation through the C3b feedback cycle.

Organizational Memory Studies (OMS) is limited by its managerialist, presentist preoccupation with the utility of memory for knowledge management. The dominant model of memory in OMS is that of a storage bin. But this model has been rejected by psychologists because it overlooks the distinctly human subjective experience of remembering, i.e. episodic memory. OMS also fails to take account of the specific social and historical contexts of organizational memory. The methodological individualism that is prevalent in OMS makes it difficult to engage with the rapidly expanding sociological and historical literature in social memory studies, where a more social constructionist approach to ‘collective memory’ is generally favoured. However, for its part social memory studies derived from Maurice Halbwachs neglects organizations, focusing primarily on the nation as a mnemonic community. From a critical perspective organizations can be seen as appropriating society’s memory through corporate sites of memory such as historical visitor attractions and corporate museums. There is scope for a sociological and historical reorientation within OMS, drawing on social memory studies and focusing on corporate sites of memory, such as The Henry Ford museum complex, as well as the mnemonic role of founders and beginnings in organizations. Taking a social constructionist, collectivist approach to social remembering in organizations allows connections to be made between memory and other research programmes, such as organizational culture studies.

The error in irradiance measured with Sun-calibrated multichannel radiometers may be large when the solar zenith angle (SZA) increases. This could be particularly detrimental in radiometers installed at mid and high latitudes, where SZAs at noon are larger than 50° during part of the year. When a multiregressive methodology, including the total ozone column and SZA, was applied in the calculation of the calibration constant, an important improvement was observed. By combining two different equations, an improvement was obtained at almost all the SZAs in the calibration. An independent test that compared the irradiance of a multichannel instrument and a spectroradiometer installed in Ushuaia, Argentina, was used to confirm the results.

Unlike most other jurisdictions in Asia, Hong Kong began its corporate insolvency law reform efforts prior to the onset of the Asian financial crisis. Nevertheless, Hong Kong has yet to enact an effective statutory corporate rescue procedure. This article discusses the Hong Kong government's corporate rescue proposals currently under consideration and the emerging use of provisional liquidation to facilitate corporate rescue in Hong Kong. It concludes by recommending that the current proposals be scrapped and that a new bill be drafted that codifies the provisional liquidation corporate rescue procedures.

Variations in the host response during pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in susceptible (CBA/Ca) and resistant (BALB/c) inbred mouse strains were investigated. Significant differences were detected in survival time, core body temperature, lung-associated and systemic bacterial loads, mast cell numbers, magnitude and location of cytokine production, lung disruption, and ability of isolated lung cells to release the cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha in vitro. Overall, the results indicate that the reduced capacity of CBA/Ca mice to induce rapid TNF activity within the airways following infection with S. pneumoniae may be a factor in their elevated susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia.

The need for a statutory corporate rescue mechanism has long been recognised in Hong Kong. That need was heavily underscored by the recent Asian financial crisis. Following recommendations made in 1996 by the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong, legislation was introduced in January 2000, in the form of the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2000. The Bill proposed a regime, to be known as “provisional supervision”, which would allow a company–without having to go to court–to appoint an insolvency specialist to take over its affairs under the protection of a moratorium. Once appointed, the provisional supervisor would formulate a plan for voluntary arrangement for approval by the company's creditors. However, after serious opposition was raised against the Bill, the provisional supervision proposals were dropped. It is anticipated that a modified provisional supervision regime will soon be put back on the legislative agenda. This paper offers a critical analysis of the provisional supervision regime contained in the Bill, with particular emphasis on the Government's controversial proposals regarding the rights of secured creditors and the treatment of workers' wages.

Background:Recent studies show that ultra-large immune complexes consisting of IgG and platelet factor 4 and heparin (P+H) potently activate complement and facilitate complement dependent activation of cellular FcgRIIA (PMID 34189574). In whole blood assays using KKO, a monoclonal anti-PF4/heparin antibody, or antibodies from patients with heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), we showed that classical pathway (CP) inhibition reduced immune complex-mediated complement activation (C3c and soluble C5b-9 generation), cell surface deposition of immune complexes and cellular activation.

The respiratory responses of Callinectes sapidusto enforced strenuous exercise were examined in crabs acclimated to seawater at 13° C, 20° C, and 28° C. Standard and maximal O₂ uptake rates (Ṁo2) and aerobic metabolic scope (= maximal Ṁo2- standard Ṁo2) all increased fourfold between 13° C and 28° C Factorial aerobic scope (FAS = maximal Ṁo2÷ standard Ṁo2) was 4.6 at all temperatures. For such a highly active and proficient swimmer, C. sapidus displays a rather modest FAS compared with other aquatic and terrestrial decapod crustaceans. It appears that the evolution of swimming in the Portunidae did not involve modifications of the ventilatory and circulatory systems to achieve exceptional rates of O₂ uptake and transport during exercise. The long-distance swimming capabilities of C. sapidus apparently result from a low aerobic cost of transport plus the capacity to sustain exercise at or near maximal Ṁo2, which allows this species to fully exploit its limited aerobic scope.

A new oceanographic instrument to measure underwater optical, biological, and physical properties has been designed, built, and used extensively at sea. The new instrument system is a significant advance that permits optimum sampling strategies using ship, aircraft, and satellite optical sensors for ocean research. The design criteria for the biooptical profiling system included the rapid acquisition of data to accommodate shipboard synoptic sampling; the measurement of the necessary parameters for providing appropriate contemporaneous surface data for remote sensors; the compatibility of the data acquisition system with conventional conductivity temperature depth-type cables and winches on the oceanographic fleet; the capability of real-time display of data along with rapid preliminary data reduction at sea. The primary instrument package in this profiling system is a new microprocessor controlled multiwavelength spectroradiometer. A description of the instrument and examples of data are presented.

Hemolymph samples were taken from small (< 100 g) individuals of Cancer productusfollowing ca.3 h air exposure (emersion) on the beach, `in situ', at Friday Harbor, Washington. Compared with crabs of similar size in sea water in the laboratory, these crabs emersed `in situ' had lower Pao2, and Pvo2, but no significant change in pH and a small, not significant, internal hypercapnia. Total CO2(Cco2) content of the hemolymph was elevated by 70% (15.2 versus9.0 mM), possibly as compensation for input of acid into the hemolymph. These responses are qualitatively similar to those resulting from similar treatment in the laboratory, but differ in the reduced magnitude of the internal hypercapnia and acidosis of the hemolymph. It is suggested that the particular conditions of emersion `in situ' permit some gas exchange with interstitial sea water. Interstitial sea water was found to be hypoxic (Po2= 20-40 torr), which would limit oxygen supply yet permit CO2excretion to continue, in agreement with the data.

The article offers step-by-step instructions for a soft and sexy hair.

Multichannel moderate-bandwidth ground-based ultraviolet (GUV) filter radiometers have recently been installed at several sites of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s UV monitoring network where they complement high-resolution solar UV-100 (SUV-100) spectroradiometers. The five GUV channels are characterized for their spectral response and calibrated against SUV systems as well as irradiance standard lamps. Results indicate that accurate spectral characterization of GUV channels in the UV-B is crucial for obtaining high-quality UV measurements, in particular if instruments are calibrated with standard lamps. Using an inversion algorithm suggested by Dahlback (1996), total column ozone and approximately 30 different UV integrals and dose rates are routinely calculated from GUV measurements. For UV-A irradiance, GUV and SUV data agree to within ±5&percent; for solar zenith angles (SZAs) up to 90 deg. A similarly good agreement can be achieved for the UV index if solar measurements are restricted to SZAs smaller than 78 deg. The agreement for data products that are dominated by wavelengths in the UV-B is generally worse, but can be substantially improved if GUV instruments are equipped with an additional channel at 313 nm. GUV total column ozone values agree on average to within ±5&percent; with observations from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) on board the earth probe satellite. GUV data products are disseminated via the website www.biospherical.com/NSF in near real time. © 2005 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Presents letters to the editor about articles and topics which appeared in the previous issues of periodical "New Orleans." Myth regarding New Orleans' below sea level characteristic; Information on a book that describes the Tibetan caravan trail.

Features retired Army 1st Sergeant James Wilson who sells catfish at Gate One Flea Market outside Fort Campbell in Clarksville, Tennessee. Information on Wilson; Details on his fish business. INSET: Have a fish fry.