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Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rH GM-CSF) was purified to homogeneity from medium conditioned by COS cells transfected with a cloned human GM-CSF cDNA and shown to be an effective proliferative stimulus in human marrow cultures for GM and eosinophil colony formation. The specific activity of purified rH GM- CSF in human marrow cultures was calculated to be at least 4 X 10(7) U/mg protein. Clone transfer experiments showed that this proliferation was due to direct stimulation of responding clonogenic cells. Acting alone, rH GM-CSF did not stimulate erythroid colony formation, but in combination with erythropoietin, increased erythroid and multipotential colony formation in cultures of peripheral blood cells. rH GM-CSF had no proliferative effects on adult or fetal murine hematopoietic cells, did not induce differentiation in murine myelomonocytic WEHI-3B cells, and was unable to stimulate the survival or proliferation of murine hematopoietic cell lines dependent on murine multi-CSF (IL 3). rH GM- CSF stimulated antibody-dependent cytolysis of tumor cells by both mature human neutrophils and eosinophils and increased eosinophil autofluorescence and phagocytosis by neutrophils. From a comparison of these effects with those of semipurified preparations of human CSF alpha and -beta, it was concluded that rH GM-CSF exhibited all the biologic activities previously noted for CSF alpha.

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This paper describes a study of the effectiveness of commercially available shock absorbing insoles when used in four different pairs of shoes during normal walking. The measurement method was based on the use of the Fourier Transform of the axial acceleration of the leg measured by an accelerometer mounted at the ankle. The magnitude of shock was measured by the “Shock Factor” which has been defined as the rms acceleration between 50 Hz and 150 Hz expressed as a proportion of that between 10 Hz and 150 Hz. Nine insoles were tested in each pair of shoes and the Shock factor for each combination was compared with the value obtained for the shoes alone. Statistically significant reductions of Shock Factor were noted in 58% of cases; the largest improvement (30% reduction in Shock Factor) was achieved by lightweight Sorbothane. The experimental technique has now been further developed to allow the measurement of Shock Factor by a portable Shock Meter.

Human placental conditioned medium (HPCM) contans colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) required for the growth in vitro of neutrophilic granulocyte-macrophage (GM) and eosinophilic (EO) progenitor cells from human bone marrow. Fractionation of CSFs in HPCM was achieved by manipulation of the elution conditions on a column of phenyl-Sepharose. After equilibration of the phenyl-Sepharose column at high ionic strength (1 M ammonium sulfate), all of the CSF bound; one species of GM-CSF (alpha) and all of the elutable EO-CSF were eluted from the column simply by reducing the salt concentration, whereas the second species of GM-CSF (beta) was free of EO-CSF and was eluted only by increasing the concentration of tehylene glycol in the elution buffer. The two GM-CSFs were functionally distinct. GM-CSF alpha preferentially stimulated colony formation by day 14 of culture, and there was a decreased proportion of neutrophil colonies and increased proportion of macrophage colonies as the strength of the stimulus was decreased; GM- CSF beta, on the other hand, preferentially stimulated colony formation by day 7 of culture, and the proportion of neutrophil colonies was high (average 80%) and independent of the concentration of GM-CSF beta. GM- CSF alpha and GM-CSF beta were indistinguishable on the basis of apparent molecular size on tel filtration columns (molecular weight 30,000), charge properties on isoelectric focusing beds (isoelectric point, 4.9), and were not related to each other as a sialoglycoprotein is related to its asialo form. Adherent cell removal of the target bone marrow cells (to remove colony-stimulating cells) suggested that both GM-CSFs acted directly rather than by stimulating the production of GM- CSF. Mixing and titration experiments indicated that the differences in functional specificities of the two GM-CSFs (and the lack of EO-CSF associated with GM-CSF beta) were not due to the presence of specific inhibitory molecules or lower absolute levels of CSF in one fraction relative to the other. These two species of GM-CSF should be useful in separately enumerating subpopulations of different GM-progenitor cells inhuman hemopoietic disorders.

Measurement of upper limb motion is problematic, not least because of the large range of path dependent description of motion of the joints, and the multiple non-cyclical unstandardised motion tasks measured. Furthermore, appreciation of shoulder motion specifically is obscured by overlying soft tissue. In order to satisfy the complexity of a clinically useful model of the movement of the joint, input data must be acquired from a set of pre-determined movements using a non-invasive technique with a high level of accuracy. Descriptive and predictive modeling of the glenohumeral joint requires input of high-fidelity data into a 6 degree of freedom representation, without which, the application of the tool is of limited clinical significance to the advancement of both operative and non-operative management of shoulder pathology. Electromagnetic, linkage and radiographic techniques have previously been used, however, an optimal solution is yet to be described.