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The effect of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on anticardiolipin antibody levels was evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Normal human serum was spiked with known quantities of freeze-dried human polyclonal anticardiolipin antibody IgG and IgM (19 samples each) or IgA (11 samples). Each spiked sample was split into four identical aliquots; one aliquot was never frozen, and the remaining three were taken through successive freeze-thaw cycles. All aliquots from each sample were evaluated on the same day using the same plate and reagents. A significant decline in mean anticardiolipin IgG levels occurred between the aliquot which had never been frozen and the one which had been through three freeze-thaw cycles (Student's t-test, P = .04). Although mean IgM and IgA values declined as well, the differences were not significant. When individual samples were evaluated the decline appeared to occur most often between the second and third freeze-thaw cycle. Eight anticardiolipin IgG and three IgM-containing samples which had been positive initially became negative by the third freeze-thaw cycle. These data show that handling and storage of serum used to perform anticardiolipin antibody assays are important potential sources of assay variability.

ABSTRACT. When the drinking water in Walkerton, Ontario (2000) was contaminated-sending 65 people to hospital and killing seven people-outrage and recriminations quickly reached the provincial Parliament and Toronto media outlets. But beyond the politics and policy, Walkerton illustrated something more fundamental to the human condition. We used the Walkerton case to examine how the media crisis coverage used negatively charged and fear emotions to engage their readers about the contamination of Walkerton's water. Using the terror management theory (TMT) framework and content analysis, we analyzed 15 yr of national and local print media coverage of Walkerton's water contamination. Our analysis provides insight on the presence of mortality fears and considers the possible influence of human responses (e.g., proximal and distal defenses) to water crises on individual and societal decisions. Failure to recognize the intrinsic role of emotions in water decisions and policy could undermine efforts to respond to climatic uncertainties, water demands, and extreme events that will intensify and threaten our water security.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate nerve and muscle physiology and histopathology in a murine lupus model. Muscle strength, compound muscle action potentials (distal latency and amplitude), proximal limb muscle, sciatic nerve and joint specimens were studied in MRL/lpr (lupus model) and MRL/++ (control) mice. MRL/lpr mice showed decreased muscle strength (P < 10(-6, Wilcoxon rank sum), lower compound muscle action potential mean amplitude and prolonged distal latency (P = 0.005 and 0.042. Mann-Whitney U-test), and muscle and nerve inflammation (P = 0.002 and P = 0.037, Fisher's exact test) compared with MRL/++ mice. The MRL/lpr strain evaluated in this study demonstrated muscle weakness, abnormal motor nerve conduction studies and inflammation of both muscle and nerve. These features make it an excellent model for studying the neuromuscular complications of lupus.

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